Empire
by Pellucid Otiose
Summary: An empire has risen, Takeru & his allies have to tear it down from the inside out, inside a school where every person is brainwashed to serve Kari & her friends, all because of her popularity, will the genius Iori survive in this jungle of a school? Yaoi
1. The Prisoner

(A/N:) This is a story I've been trying to get started for a while in my mind, now I've finally written & posted it (I'm so proud of myself) ;)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own digimon, I don't own digimon, I don't own digimon, I don't own digimon, I don't own digimon, I don't own digimon, I like to play monopoly with my pet lizard on the weekends – oh wait I mean – I don't own digimon…

**Warning:** Yaoi, boy & boy relationships, && some not so good language

Now on with the story!

**_Empire_**

**Part I:** Held Prisoner

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**(Takeru's POV)**

If any person in my school right now had asked what the point of my existence was at this moment I would honestly have to say that my life was pointless and incorrigible. It seems like ever since my brother had become famous I had become "Yamato's little brother" – not Takeru Takaishi – my name was forever and irrevocably "Yamato's little brother". Nothing could change anyone's view of me – I was pretty much insignificant – well that _was_ the case until Hikari Yagami claimed me as her boyfriend… I was boosted in my popularity ten-fold; Hikari – also called Kari – had now blessed me with not only her presence but with her offering of a relationship. I wanted to gag. I didn't like Kari not one bit, but I tolerated her only because her older brother and my older brother were extremely great friends.

I could ask anyone in the cafeteria right now to lend me money to buy lunch and they'd do it without question. I could ask someone to give me their homework for a class I didn't give a care enough about and it'd happen without protest. I could tell anyone within my school to jump off a cliff and it'd be done and seen as the highest of honors. This was all because of my popularity. I was popular. Kari and Yamato had paved the way for me. I was seen as an Emperor commanding a kingdom and Kari being my empress. In everyone's eyes I was commander and Taichi was their punisher… Taichi was like Kari's bodyguard/enforcer/attacker/hitman/protector.

Needless to say I was not too fond of her older brother. Kari controlled a whole empire and I was a slave to her more or less – I was tethered to her for my the rest of my high school years and probably more after that – of course everyone said we looked amazingly perfect together. She didn't know though that I already had my eyes on someone else – her best friend… I of course was at a loss because Miyako would never dare go near me or even spare me a look if I broke up with Kari and Kari's everything-in-one older brother would kill me no less.

So this was my life, being controlled just like everyone else in the school, what Kari had was much better then a club, was much stronger then an army, she had absolute control – absolute rule – and absolute power. She… ruled an Empire and she was the Empress.

There was much too much to think about while I waited at a vacant table in the cafeteria, most everyone's eyes trained on me, I was waiting for someone important to come during the period and I was avoiding Kari's friends as they continually beckoned me to their table. There were two lunch periods; it was split in two so that the cafeteria wasn't completely packed with almost a thousand students – and this was the one day of the week I didn't have the same lunch period as Kari and it was also the only day of the week that I could make the exchange. The exchange that would change the school – revolutionize the way everyone looked at the "popular group" anymore. I was trying to dismantle the empire – and I was going to need a _lot_ of help.

This exchange was once in a lifetime and it was guaranteed untraceable by anyone – especially Kari – she couldn't know or I'd be killed by her army of students and brother… it was about five more minutes until my savior came and made the exchange with me – it was crucial I try and attract as little attention to me as possible – though that was impossible with me being Kari's boyfriend. Everyone would look at me until they're eyes grew tired from the constant stare. Kari's friends that shared this lunch table with me had never ceased calling my name over waving at me from a faraway table – I didn't move, I tried to act as if I couldn't hear them over the collected noise from the other students in the cafeteria.

Soon as finally everyone had moved on and settled for just an occasional look in my direction at my empty table where I sat – my savior showed his face.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," I said giving a small smile to the dark figure standing in front of me. He was wearing a hat that covered his hair completely, pants that overlapped onto his shoes, and a long-sleeved turtleneck shirt that showed no skin, whilst shadows played across his face leaving him completely incognito while coming to make the revolutionary exchange – the first step in the process to dismantle the kingdom assimilated.

"I don't do this often Takaishi, I'd prefer we make this as quick and as painless as possible, I'm putting myself at risk by even talking to you, you know. Now do you have your part of the trade?" The figure whispered quietly in a voice almost inaudible over the background noise of the cafeteria. I slowly opened my coat I was wearing to reveal my item of exchange and the figure nodded happily. The person settled themselves on the table and began to open the backpack that had been resting somewhere behind the persons back completely hidden to me before. I waited for my item to be revealed and my savior grinned evilly as the zipper was leisurely pulled open on the discreet backpack…

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**(Iori's POV)**

"But dad! This can't be happening! I don't want to go to Miyako's school!" I protested fervently as my dad stared back at me from my seat in the kitchen table. I winced as I shifted in my seat and felt a sharp pain aching at my side.

"Iori, you can't continue going to a school where hooligans go around knocking around younger students for the hell of it! I will not tolerate it and since the school has yet to locate your attackers we're sending you to a different school while the situation is sorted out – I will not have my son be marred by such imbeciles who think it's 'cool' to take advantage of younger students!" My father said in a voice that made his decision seem final.

At my school some of the seniors had followed me home one day and while I was halfway there they caught up with me and pulled me into a nearby alley and beat me up until I had broken most of my bones, I had just gotten through my recovery and the school still couldn't find out who had attacked me and neither could I… I barely remembered anything after they grabbed me. I skipped a grade and was now in high school because of my intellect. I was a year younger then everyone at my school and the other students at my school never forgot to remind me of my lesser age… my dad had finally had it with their antics…

"But dad! It won't be anywhere different in any other school we go to – it was because of my age that they teased me and pummeled me not because they were just rowdy kids! There won't be any difference in cousin Miyako's school – people are the same everywhere you go – they just have different names…" I said suddenly feeling a sudden burst of melancholy burst through my body – no one could ever treat me different I was just a child to them… I wasn't anything to be taken seriously…

"Just please Iori I don't want to see you hurt anymore, your mother is already having a fit just at the thought of anyone calling you a name, she was horrified and outraged when we found out you'd been attacked after school and were in the hospital – she almost sued the school! Even though you weren't even on school grounds! You have to just try this, please Iori don't make this more difficult then it has to be…" My dad looked at me with pleading eyes as if my approval mattered – my approval mattered to no one, my opinion was just insignificant, my thoughts mattered to no one… I didn't understand how he cared what I thought – I was small and unimportant – what was the point of my existence?

"Okay, dad. I'll try it, but you'll see – it's always the same… always…" My dad smiled and I almost felt like I had done something good – that what I did had mattered but I shook my head quickly to disperse the thought – that was stupid I was unimportant and always will be…

"Okay you start this Monday. The principle is very excited to welcome you to the school – he is very impressed by your marks from your last couple years, he's already asked if you wanted to take any advanced courses!" My dad was instantly excited at the thought of me taking on more of an academic challenge – I was already a grade ahead, cool it dad…

"Dad, don't you think I could just be… average?" I asked weakly. My dad's expression changed in an instant and I knew not to push the idea further – I seemed to be already upsetting him just at the prospect of not being in advanced classes – if I even began to touch the ideas I had of going back a grade to be with people my age my dad would flip out immensely. My dad was obviously a stickler for knowledge. He always pushed me to have only a life that pertained to school – I had no social life – no friends – no acquaintances – I wasn't even allowed to use any form of communication device in fears it would distract me from my studies…

"Iori please let's just work on your getting to school let's not go through what we happened when you were offered to skip ahead – I've never heard you whine so much in my life and I truly don't wish to hear that again. So since today is Thursday you have the rest of today, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to get yourself familiarized with your schedule, class topics – which I was able to get from Miyako, and school books and supplies required for each class. Go on now, go get prepared!" My dad shooed me from the table and upstairs to my room to go and get "prepared", oh joy…

I wished I had someone to vent to about this, just one person who wouldn't mind just talking with me once and while about my problems, someone I could depend on, someone who could possibly even care about me – which I knew was practically impossible, someone I could call a friend. I just wished I could but I was always just "the short freshman" or "shrimp kid". I wasn't _that_ short, but I'm definitely by no means am tall at all… I guess I would just have to deal with my problems on my own and try to live up to my academic requirements. There was only four more years of this – then I was free, free from control – I would go through my last years of mandatory schooling – then I could do what I wanted… oh wait no I couldn't… there was this magic thing called 'college' – the jail after the jail I'm going through now… I was a prisoner, a contained being, a slave for the next sum odd years of my life without any of my consent, I had no choice in the matter.

I stared at the piles of books in my room getting ready to start studying which would probably be expected of me by my father and mother, and I also gave a long look at my schedule memorizing it instantly with my photographic memory which I was unfortunately cursed with – though some people told me it was a blessing and was to be valued as a useful skill – that made me want to laugh. "Useful" that was definitely not a word that should be associated with the other words "photographic" and "memory", they just didn't go together – they were like cat's and dog's, owl's and mice, fish and sharks, lion's and gazelle's – you'd never put those pairs of animals in a room…

I gave a small sigh as I began to read through the first chapter of my biology textbook – I would have a test soon according to Miyako's reports of the class's stats currently. I was also going to have a test in algebra apparently, I intended to study that next…

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**(Yamato's POV)**

School could be considered a place for friends, could be considered a place for education enhancement, could be considered a place to devote six hours of your life to five days a week every week of every year until you were eighteen – mandatorily at least. I was sitting in my Chemistry class – I had just finished my lunch period noticing with fascination that my brother had been sitting alone, completely alone at an empty table. This was a first for him – he'd always had friends to sit with him and anyone would gladly leave their own friends at their own table to keep him company if ever asked, but he made no such command he sat there alone until one person came quickly and left just as fast seeming to be completely covered in clothing and indecipherable from my seat at the far end of the cafeteria opposite my brother.

"So class that is why the eight noble gasses don't – under normal circumstances – bond with any other atom naturally. Their valence shells are full making the element there by stable…" Could this be anymore boring? I was scribbling small doodles of guitars in my notebook where I was supposed to be taking notes about what Mr. Loden – my chemistry teacher – was saying. Taichi was sitting next to me doing the same thing except I noticed his doodles were of soccer ball's, which made sense because Taichi was captain of the soccer team which gave him such a wonderful body… I turned my head sharply up at Mr. Loden trying to focus on what he was saying hoping it would chase away the thoughts racing through my head of Taichi – things like this can't happen in the middle of chemistry – what if someone noticed me acting weirdly as I reacted to my thoughts, I couldn't let off any I attraction I might've had to anyone because of how fast a rumor could destroy me in a day. My reputation couldn't take a blow like that – I'd be a laughing stock if anyone knew I had a slight attraction to my best male friend…

I knew I had band practice today after school with my famous band: "The Teenage Wolves". Everyone loved our music and before it we got signed by a record company and instant stardom followed, we had actual music albums that people actually bought! It was insane at how much joy that brought me that someone liked my music that I wrote – all my music conveyed my views in life and everything that was important to me was all summed up in my lyrics. Usually I wrote my lyrics in class when I was bored but today I was tired, I just wanted to get home as soon as possible because of my exhaustion from last night, which had been one of the best nights of my life – one of Mimi's classic parties were last night and a _lot_ happened…

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_(Flashback)_

_I was alone in the backyard of Mimi's house hanging out with one of my band mates who I trusted with my life. He was the only one I could trust with my problems – I had been telling him about my recent odd attractions to Taichi and like the great friend he is he accepted the fact I could be gay and didn't care a bit he actually practically implored me to try and have a relationship with someone since it had been so long since my last one… I shrugged and considered it, maybe after high school was over I could see if Taichi felt that way at all – only after high school though so I wouldn't ruin anyone's reputations if we were found out, not that I was even convinced Taichi was gay at all even in the least. _

"_Hey it's Yamato Ishida!" Someone called from in front of Mimi's house. My friend and I jumped from our seats on the bench alarmed by the yell. Soon enough photographers came to the backyard flashing cameras constantly and the whole bit. Soon reporters followed – probably from have being called by the photographers. Many of them shot out questions while my band mate, Bunmei, and I tried to escape the now forming crowd of reporters and photographers. _

"_How do you feel about the rival beginning band 'Last Winter'? They're said to be the next big fad in all of Japan." One reporter asked._

"_How do you think your band is faring with the toll on the hand of one of your band mates? Do you think his hand will recover in time for your tour?" Rihito, the drummer of our band and fellow band mate, had broke two of his fingers when he slammed a door accidently closed on them. His cast was supposed to come off soon and his hand was supposed to be completely fine but of course they were going to blow it all out of proportion when he can play still – even with a cast on. _

"_Are you excited that you qualify for the Winter Elephant Music Awards?" That question had caught my attention. I didn't know we had qualified yet; they hadn't alerted us of their final decision. The Winter Elephant Music Awards, or the WEMA, was one of the most prestigious music ranking ceremonies in all of Japan and if your band won a Winter Elephant it almost guaranteed complete success as a band and high sales for your albums. I was instantly intrigued and excited, I noticed Bunmei had the same thoughts in his head as me – we qualified!_

"_We qualified for the WEMA?" I asked quickly at the reporter who had spoken up. I waited patiently to for him to answer._

"_Yes the Winter Elephant Music Award panel agreed that you were one of the top 38 bands that qualify to win one of their awards it was announced just this morning to select news services – they are probably going to notify you soon about it. Are you excited? Do you expect you'll win one of the legendary Winter Elephant awards?" The reporter asked but by then I had already dragged Bunmei back into Mimi's house ignoring all the reporters and photographers shaking with anticipation and excitement. Our band qualified for the Winter Elephant Music Awards! I couldn't believe it! I had to find Rihito and Nagaharu – my other band mate, and tell them of our bands qualification._

_(End Flashback)_

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"Yamato? Yamato. YAMATO!" The yell woke me out of my reminiscing and I noticed Taichi was looking at me confused and impatient. The rest of the classroom was empty and I had noticed the bell had rung – the next period was going to start soon.

"Sorry Taichi, let's go." I said gathering my books and hurrying out of the classroom in a haste to get to my next class – ugh I had history my worst subject…

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**(Hikari's POV)**

People are dumb. No people are extremely dense. At least everyone at my school is… I said blatantly loudly in the middle of my English class that my pencil had broken but everyone just looked at me confusedly. I held out my pencil in front of me trying to make it obvious that someone needed to give me a sharpened pencil – like _right now_. I growled frustrated and turned to the person who sat to my left.

"Can I borrow a pencil?" I asked frustrated. The person a tall lanky brunette with light features contrasting with his hair flinched at my voice being directed at him. He quickly searched his body for a spare pencil and soon produced one for me seeming extremely nervous from my request. He gave me a small nervous smile, as he held out a pencil in his shaky hand. I grabbed it from him smiling and nodding in thanks and began to return to my schoolwork. I swear I didn't think people could be more stupid sometimes. The kid I had smiled at almost fainted – I swear I was halfway to groaning. It wasn't that I was annoyed that just about all the male population in the school lusted after me – it was that they made it so obvious that small gestures seemed to turn into invitations for friendship which I was not handing out anytime soon – I had already helped out Yamato's little brother – he wasn't too popular until I came along and asked him to be my boyfriend which he of course accepted because no one in their right mind would reject me.

I thought Takeru was the cutest boy I'd ever seen, his skin was flawless, his hair seemed to have such a natural, lovable shape – that is when he wasn't covering it with that ridiculous hat he loves so much, he had great taste in clothes, and his eyes were strikingly gorgeous – I just had to have him and in the process I did someone a favor, I did my good deed for the day back then, now if only opportunities' like that could come everyday – then I'd always do good deeds, that is if they worked for me in return. The thought of an unrequited deed was enough to make me shudder with appall. My English teacher was talking about some novel I wasn't familiarized with and I just planned to get the notes for this class from someone later, the only reason I needed a pencil was to finish writing a note I had been writing when my pencil broke.

The winter dance had been coming up and soon all my plans would fall into place, I was planning to set Miyako up with a very hot guy I'd met the other day in biology – Miyako would like him so much. The note I was writing to her was almost finished:

_Miyako, _

_After school come to my house, we need to plan the winter dance! I'm thinking of having the Teenage Wolves play, what do you think? Oh yeah we need to go shopping for the dance and we need to get that new perfume that just came out, I hear it attracts boys literally! Something to do with pheromones or something – whatever those are! Write back_

_-Kari_

Soon I passed the note over to Miyako with a quick flick of my wrist and waited for her to write back. Soon the another note flew threw the air and landed on my desk:

_Kari, _

_I'll be at your house right after school – I'll walk home with you actually. My parents are inviting family over today and you know how much I hate my family… especially that dorky one cousin I was telling you about that's coming here – I really don't want to be there when he's there… And yeah we'll definitely go shopping, I was thinking about going to this place right along the main road – I hear they have a whole winter line of clothes that are totally unlike any other lines this year, some French girl designed them or something. And that perfume sounds awesome; I so need a boyfriend so I'd put that to good use! _

_-Miyako_

I smiled at Miyako's note and began to write my own when I had heard the bell ring signaling the end of class. Right now Yamato was ending his Chemistry class, I needed to catch him before he left for home and I had only a few more periods to see him before he left for band practice. I went straight to Miyako after grabbing my books and walked straight out of the classroom with her people making way for my best friend and me spreading and making a clear path for me to walk through – it was good to be queen of the school…

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**(Ken's POV)**

I couldn't exactly tell what was going on at the moment… I knew we were playing some sort of sport but I didn't quite know which one. It was odd and it only made me more unhappy that I had to actually put effort into doing something while I was having such a bad day already: Daisuke, my best friend, was seeming different this week and he wouldn't say anything to me about it, I had got a grade just above failing on an algebra test – it would bring down my high average so much, and I had gym today which only added to the pain because I usually always got hurt at gym and usually ended up at the nurse's office.

Everyone began running around the field throwing a small ball around – it wasn't soccer, nor baseball, nor basketball or football, I couldn't tell what it was! It wasn't any sport I recognized as everyone ran around in an odd fashion and thrown around a ball back and forth in over and under hand throws and in cycles I hadn't recognized either, it all seemed so coordinated but so unfamiliar. It seemed like everyone would run it a certain point in the field then run back to the middle line of the field then dart to their left or right along the middle line and stop about three quarters of the way to the end where they would either intercept the ball or if they had it throw it to someone on their team on their side of the field and they would try and they would try and throw it from where they were across to either the left or right diagonal sides into what seemed like a goal. It kept my interest oddly enough it seemed like a large math equation and I found myself idly standing there calculating the games outcome. I don't know how I had almost failed that algebra test, I was just so good at math… I must check it over to make sure it was marked correctly – I of course can't have something as trivial as one test do so much damage to my average in math, I was a genius and I wanted to keep that title!

"Ichijouji get your ass in the game!" Someone called from my side of the field. I saw the ball fly across the air and quickly ran across to the middle and then down the middle line towards the three quarters point and caught the ball. I threw the ball then to a person on my team, who I believed was named Riku, who was a perfectly striaght in the direction of a clear-unprotected diagonal goal of my opponents. He caught the ball and flung it feircly at the goal and my team errupted in cheers. I couldn't believe it, I played sports and I liked it – of course I didn't know which one but I liked it! That's all that counts in the end really. This sport was so much like an equation I felt could be solved in steps perfectly. It was like I was in a classroom rather then in a field and I felt the same sense of satisfaction that I did when I passed the ball to Riku as I would normally feel when I solved a problem first in class. I couldn't wait till next gym period!

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**(Daisuke's POV)**

I wish I had Gym with Ken today, but unfortunately my best friend was out their playing zeroball without me. Zeroball was a sport made up by our school long ago and now became an accepted sport, I always used to love to be a firstliner – which was the person who ran across the middle lines and caught the ball when it was being sent to the three quarters mark, I found zeroball amazingly fun, I envy the creators of that fabulous game…

So here I sat in history gazing out the window eager for the dull period to end. Our class was studying the Roman Empire and the teacher was talking about the project due soon at the end of the trimester, I tried to tune it out but I knew I had to try and pay some attention because the project would count for almost a half of my grade. I could see the field they were playing zeroball on from my seat by the window in my history classroom. I thought ahead to the field trip our biology class was having – it was to some museum where they turned animals inside out it was supposed to help us understand dissecting better. By 'inside out' I mean all the organs and muscles on the outside and all the skin flipped around the top and bottom to show the whole inside of the creature. I sighed as I saw a small cloud drift over the sky darkening the field Ken was playing zeroball on by blocking out the sun…

"Daisuke Motomiya! Do you think your answers to your project are outside that window?" My teacher asked angrily. I hated when teachers annoyingly stop what they're doing just to bother you when you don't want to listen…

"No, Mr. Hale, I'm sorry." I attempted weakly to apologize not really up to putting any effort in my apology because of the dread of another day of school ahead of me tomorrow. I never put any effort into anything when it was the middle of the week – I didn't want to make it drag on longer then it needed to be so I just drifted through my classes and the halls trying to survive the glorified prison I resided in… I felt like I should be wearing shackles half the time I'm here so I could look the part of a convict as well as I play one inside this hell hole… I'm always apparently doing something wrong… especially at home where I have to be very careful not to upset anyone… always it would end up in a lot of pain for me most likely…

"Okay Daisuke, just pay attention, you're having a test tomorrow on all this." The teacher said then walked over to the chalkboard to finish writing some notes down on it. I groaned out loud at hearing that… a test? That would just put a damper on my whole evening… why do they have to torture us so much? Do they want to kill me? I didn't know shit about Rome…

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(A/N:) A lots going down in my story! Hopefully you like it so far. Review please! Even if it's constructive criticism, I'm always up for improving my writing, review even if it's as simple as "good" or "bad", I just want to know how my stories going, so…. Review please!!!


	2. The Aegis

(A/N:) This is a story I've been trying to get started for a while in my mind, now I've finally written & posted it (I'm so proud of myself) ;)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own digimon, I don't own digimon, I don't own digimon, I don't own digimon, I don't own digimon, I don't own digimon, I like to play monopoly with my pet lizard on the weekends – oh wait I mean – I don't own digimon…

**Warning:** Yaoi, boy & boy relationships, && some not so good language

Now on with the story!

**_Empire_**

**Part II:** The Aegis

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**(Iori's POV)**

I could've said one too many things that morning walking to school, while I was completely unaware I was being followed. I had been mumbling to myself while I heard a low noise of footsteps behind me. I craned my neck to get a better view of who was following me and the first thing I noticed was a strikingly beautiful puff of blond hair atop a thin dark figure who seemed to be completely ignoring everything around him.

He took the same routes I did and when I made a turn so did he, I was beginning to panic, what if he was one of the seniors from my old school coming back to get some more "revenge", as they called it, on me. It shouldn't have been revenge at all… I refused to do their work for them when they told me too and when they shoved me all their books for their homework that night I shoved them in the nearest garbage can and fled from school. The next day I was followed and attacked and they kept calling it revenge because I didn't do what they wanted and with no friends and family usually tied to their places at work I had no one to protect me.

I scurried quickly to school, the long, boring, secluded weekend had only made me more eager to get to a place where a lot of people would be… who knows maybe one of them wouldn't automatically hate my guts at first glance – I doubted it but it was always a possibility…

I could see the school up ahead and there were a plethora of students practically guarded the entrance, like a wall of selectively permeable people – letting only people in who shoved their way through. I made that assumption because no one made a single movement towards the direction of school – they all stood waiting until the bell, unmoving. I had finally gotten close enough to prove my theory true. No one would budge. I heard the small noise once again of the footsteps behind me, and they were soon right behind me.

"Need some help?" I froze. Was this person… offering me help? No, no he must be talking to someone else… isn't he? I slowly turned around and found a pair of blue eyes trained on my face, he was… intensely gorg– I stopped myself right there, I couldn't divert my mind from the task at hand – I had to get inside the school so I nodded my head weakly. I was at a loss for words and I could barely make a coherent word come through my mouth, everything soon came out as one long jumble of uncompleted malformed words.

"Ineedgoingtoschoolgetinrightawaynowplease." My whole face felt extremely hot, and I struggled fervently to find my betraying voice before I made a fool of myself.

"Excuse me, I and my buddy here need to get through." The blonde boy in front of me called out to the crowd, and what I saw was unbelievable. The boy took my shoulders and steered me through the crowd of students, which had all moved to form a clear path at his command. It was utterly and inconceivably mindboggling, I had never seen anything like it, everyone moved in perfect unison to ensure a clear path, and I was practically in shock. My eyes were wide and my jaw was ajar, I now could barely even utter a word as we reached the end of the cleared path.

I gave a quick glance back to see the path that had been formed close up by the wall of students once again and all of them seemed unfazed by what just happened, I didn't get it at all.

"My names Takeru Takaishi. Are you new here?" Takeru – apparently – asked me with a big smile.

"Y-Yes, my n-name's Iori – Iori Hida. Thank you, but how did… how did you do that?" I said in exasperation gasping out finally getting my voice to permeate through the confines of my throat.

"Oh well that explains your astonishment, you don't know how things work here then, you'll get used to it – people listen to me, more accurately, people listen to Hikari Yagami. She's my girlfriend, so I guess you could say since she's infinitely popular I'm popular too." Takeru smiled sheepishly and began to stride forward towards the entrance of the school and I followed timidly. Hikari sounded so familiar… oh wait that was Miyako's friend!

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_(Flashback)_

_I was sitting alone at home when my parents burst through the doors laughing with my cousin Miyako's parents. Miyako and another girl, who I didn't know the name of, walked in after our parents and were talking animatedly about some kind of perfume…_

"_Dad! Hikari and I want to go to the mall today, the Winter Dance is coming up and we want to get ready for it. Can we go to the mall please? Please, please, __**please**__?" Miyako begged her father – a tall, robust man whose cheeks were red from the coldness outside. His forehead creased in thought and worry._

"Miyako, we just got here! You didn't even say hi to your cousin Iori yet! You have to stay a little while…" Miyako groaned and rushed over to my side and drew me into a bone-crushing hug.

"_Hello Iori! How are you? Do you have a girlfriend yet? You've got to tell me all about that soon, okay? I can't wait until you come to my school; it's going to be a great experience I can tell! I love you so much, bye!" She said all in one breath releasing me and then rushing off to her father. _

"_There! Can I go now daddy" Miyako looked into his eyes pleadingly and clung to his shirt impatiently. Miyako's father flashed an apologetic smile at my parents and then looked back at Miyako. I looked at Hikari – she seemed so composed, so beautiful, so unlike any other girl I had ever seen, she looked like some kind of goddess…_

"_Oh let her go, it's fine with us, we'll see her soon enough anyway for Iori's birthday! Don't worry, you go have fun dear." My mom cooed, and shooed Miyako out the door. Hikari followed her continuing their conversation about perfume and dresses and what not. I couldn't get over her poise, her elegance, her unparalleled beauty that I had only seen from women on magazines… I wondered why Miyako hadn't ever talked about her before…_

_(End Flashback)_

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"Hikari is your girlfriend?" I blurted out. It seemed almost insane that someone like Hikari would attend a school like this one, she seemed like one of those rich preppy robots, then again she wasn't _actually_ a goddess…

"Yeah… but that's not important. So you're new here. Do you want me to show you around?" Takeru offered me completely switching the subject. It seemed like that was a touchy topic that Takeru didn't normally drabble in. It seemed almost as if he didn't like Hikari – he spoke about her so sullenly, so gloomily almost…

"Uh, sure I guess. Thank you." I replied running up to him – his stride was so much larger then mine that in a couple of moments he was practically down the whole hallway while I lingered at the entrance. Once I caught up to him I could see from closer inspection that he was just as perfect as Hikari, though my first impression of him showed no different. I let my mind wander freely now that my task was finished and there was a superfluously ample amount of time before school started – at least a half hour if not more. I hadn't quite expected that it would take so little time to get to school so I had expected the worse and got up early… dang now I have to reset my alarm clock – that thing is so confusing, and sometimes it didn't even work… but my dad would hear nothing of it, if it was on it was working…

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**(Taichi's POV)**

"GET UP TAICHI! I DON'T HAVE TIME TO WAIT FOR YOU ALL DAY LONG!" I jumped straight out of my bed again with the fierce screech directed at me from downstairs. That screech was none other than the all-famous Hikari. Hikari didn't like to yell often – it seemed like only rare days she would ever scream, she claimed it was because she didn't want to damage her singing voice but I always doubted that was the true reason. She usually respected me so I could only guess that this lapse in her normal behavior could only be due to the stress or pressure of something – I picked up on it instantly. I got dressed quickly so I could aid her.

"What's wrong Kari? Why are you all… angry?" I asked a contour creasing in my forehead when I saw her attire. Hikari, my sweet innocent sister, looked …not so innocent…

"Hikari!" I exclaimed in surprise. "What is the prostitute convention in town? Just _what_ are you wearing?" I gasped out. As if I didn't have enough to worry about for my beloved sister, something now was apparently wrong with her brain because no one would dress so... strikingly, if you will, unless they wanted attention from someone and that someone being boys – lots of them. Why would she want to attract a lot of people today, she did that anyway without all of this…

"I want to look nice because of that new boy coming to our school, you know make a good impression." Hikari smiled innocently, and I looked at her once again my eyes threatening to fall out of their sockets from their astonishing amount of bulging. What happened to my innocent baby sister? I didn't exactly know if I had said that out loud but Hikari's expression changed drastically in seconds and she scurried over to the mirror.

"What is it? Is something wrong? A tear in the fabric? Too much make-up? Not enough make up? Give me answers Tai, _now_!" I could only gape at her as she ran around not noticing the blatant reason for my surprise. She was practically in rags – not so much that they looked like them but more or less the _size_ of the clothing… I just sighed and nodded my head.

"Hikari, listen, that's a little too much for someone like Iori… it wouldn't take much to impress someone who's not only a year younger then you but the biggest nerd in all of the world – he's a prodigy not a pimp. Change. Now." I demanded. She crossed her arms while she evaluated my expression – one look and she knew she couldn't budge, so she swiftly walked past me knocking against me sharply as she passed by.

"How do you know about Iori anyway? You're not even a freshman!" Hikari exclaimed as I heard numerous banging noises erupt from the innermost part of her closet inside her room. She came back a couple minutes later – thankfully wearing something much more decent (a purple long-sleeve top with white and violet designs scattered all over the front ending just above her waist where her deep blue jeans started which ended up tucked inside her tan animal skin boots. There was a purple scarf that accompanied this outfit, which was carefully wrapped around her neck, and it ran down the side of her chest till her waist like her shirt. Along with all that was a series of purple bracelets with silver linings mimicking the shirts designs, and a long silver necklace with a maroon almost light violet-red pendant that showed brightly from atop her shirt.) – and I answered her question.

"Miyako told me not too long ago about her deranged prodigy of a cousin – trust me after the picture she showed me he's nothing to look at, don't bother – and don't give me another heart attack."

"Ugh, whatever. Look can we just get to school? I have a lot of stuff to do, and a lot of people to text okay?" Hikari said with a sharp edge to her voice – clearly still irritated about the wardrobe change.

"Well why do you want to impress him so much? Do you think he's cute?" I snorted. If she did this would be indefinitely hilarious. She blushed for a second and then the blush faded almost as soon as it came and her face grew disgruntled.

"Of course not! Like you said he's a year younger then me, and he's a wimpy, non-sociable, nerd! I'd never even consider him, besides I have Takeru who'd out-hot Iori any day of the week! In fact he's one of the people who I have to text and apologize now for the loss of eye-candy and he'll have you to thank." She stomped out the door and all I could do was chuckle as her exasperation, her voice had gotten slightly higher reaching towards the end. I'd bet my college fund she had crush on Iori, even if she wouldn't admit it. Her voice only goes up for two reasons: when she was mad or when she was embarrassed and neither happened often – mainly because she _always_ got what she wanted…

As we walked to school I noticed the faint noise of the buttons being rapidly pressed on Hikari's phone a couple feet ahead of me, somehow her fingers moved just as quickly across that pad of buttons as quickly as she could speak and it confused me tremendously.

I noticed ahead of us a kid I recognized… I couldn't place my finger on it but I knew the person up ahead… who was it? I stared hard at the silhouette in the distance only making out just as much as you'd see as if the person was drenched in black paint. The light had been playing tricks with the shadows as the mornings usually did and today was no exception – I couldn't tell a car from a plane! I jogged forward shaking my head trying to forget about the person and focus on the day ahead – it wouldn't be too fun, school was normally boring…

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**(Miyako's POV)**

I couldn't believe it. I stared in shock incredulously feeling my body weak a nimble. Everything shook quickly then came to a halt as I regained my balance using the fence for support. Up ahead at the school entrance I saw my cousin Iori be lead through a crowd by the most popular kid in our school. I thought Takeru wasn't supposed to give anyone the time of day lat alone help my dorky, nerdy cousin across a crowd of teenagers. Somehow Iori must have bribed him or paid him to help him cross through the crowd, I don't know how it happened, but I got a text just then ripping me from my accusing thoughts.

To: Miyako

_From: Hikari_

_Hey Miyako! U kno wats goin down at skool 2-day? I heard theres supposed 2 be sum kind of fight! Maybe well get lucky & itll b Iori b-cuz every-1 already hates him. Luv U! TTYL, BI!_

I sighed as I read the text message Hikari had sent me. I understood what it said but you'd think that it'd take longer to think about these abbreviations and then type them rather then just writing the word out, it makes everything sound all choppy – though I don't want to be a hypocrite, I text the same way Hikari does…

I walked towards school noticing I was there early, plenty early. I usually was never there early unless I forgot to do my homework – well copy my homework from someone, then I was there getting it from someone before class started. Oh wait now I remember – Iori's dad called me this morning – probably when Iori woke up to tell me to "have fun" with Iori at school today and that we were a "perfect pair to succeed", could his dad be anymore of a lame-ass? Rather, could he unintentionally embarrass his son anymore then he does already? Hmm, I don't think there's much more to embarrass – most of what's embarrassing material is already blatantly obvious just on his face. Even if I didn't know him as much as I did I'd already guess that: one, his parents are the gushy, lovey-dovey responsible parental figures they're supposed to be (well what they say they _should_ be…); two, that he has a blanket he calls "blankie" and or a stuffed animal he loves to the fullest as if it were real somewhere in his room (Iori has both); and three, that the only girl he's ever kissed is his mother. All those things radiate off of Iori as if someone were screaming them at you – extremely loudly – with a bullhorn – straight in your ear.

I continued walking to school wondering if maybe I could see what they were up to – if this went further then a friendly gesture. Though I highly doubted that either of them were gay it would make a good rumor – but then again it'd make Hikari look bad – but then again who cares? I don't. I followed them past the crowd who opened willingly for me like they did Takeru (me being just as if not more popular than Takeru), and followed them into the school. It was dark – which was the first thing I picked up. Only a few lights were even turned on in the building and the long hallway that stretched into the school from the front entrance was vacant yet I could hear voices echoing from somewhere, the walls carried the noise of the small murmurs throughout the school like a person carrying a note to someone to give to someone else to give to the person they intended it for. I listened blithely as I tried to pick up what they were saying and continued onwards to try and understand more of the conversation that seemed to be rapidly flowing through them. Had they met each other before? Or did they really just hit it off now? This could make such a good rumor… - that idea recycled through my head continuously presenting itself once again as a fresh opportunity for me to spread more gossip.

I finally caught up to them – yet kept myself hidden behind a perpendicular hallway to the one they were in – keeping me clear out of sight yet in hearing range – their voices came in clearer now…

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**(Takeru's POV)**

This Iori kid seems really nice, for some reason ever since I helped him across the crowd I felt a weird sensation of goodness – like I had helped an old lady across the street. The sense of integrity seemed to only multiply while I walked with him making me smile in almost constantly as if I were being thanked for doing good deeds, I didn't quite understand it but walking with him made me… feel good… It was like I was really helping him, I pondered this for a moment then left the thought and turned all my attention to Iori again.

"So what's your locker number?" I asked happily as we lazily leaned against the hallway wall – deciding we'd wait till it was later to finish the tour considering it was so early.

"Um, I'm not sure, honestly. Hold on." Iori paused and went searching through his backpack. I gasped for a second as I saw something large and bulky come from within the borders of the backpacks silver zippers. I had mistaken for a moment that the object, or rather objects, that Iori was removing from the backpack was the item of my exchange not too long ago with my disguised… friend, if you will… I quickly composed myself before he could register it was me who gasped. My face was now still as smiley as ever.

"These are all the papers the office gave my dad. I think my locker number should be in here somewhere. I actually forgot about that… I don't know how I missed that… usually I'm much more prepared then that." It seemed like pain struck through Iori's face as the last words came out as barely a whisper. He must really be into this prodigy thing…

"Well you remembered now, so don't worry about it. Here, let me help you find it." I offered smiling once again at my good deed – if you could call it one. We slumped to the floor besides the wall and our backpacks and sorted through the papers. My smile seemed contagious as Iori began smiling as well – it seemed genuine almost as if he hadn't smiled in a while… That was when I noticed a chalk-white piece of tape coming out from under the side of his shirt extending a few feet back. I frowned slightly.

"Iori, is that… medical tape?" I asked confusedly, the frown becoming more pronounced. Why was there medical tape up his shirt? Iori seemed to stiffen instantly and dropped the envelope he'd been fumbling with, from all the other papers the office had given him, in his hand. He traced my gaze as if a single diagonal line lead him to where I was staring pointedly at. He gasped slightly, and then quickly withdrew the tape from outside his shirt and replacing it speedily back under the cover of the fabric.

"Um – Uh, well you see – I, um. My dad! He-he, …no choice and – The pain! But I – um!" Iori stuttered, his face shocked and scared. I felt an odd sensation to hug him, but I restrained the compulsion my body was now sending me to embrace him. I sat there struggling while trying to get an explanation.

"Iori – breath." I filled him in letting my hand rest on his shoulder. His face tensed automatically with my touch but soon he calmed when he saw my expression, and let out a big breath and took on e in before continuing.

"Well, my-my old school. They were big jerks! A-And, they head beaten me up – really, really badly. And broke most of my bones, my dad said t-to wear this tape to try and keep them in pl-place. I told him it was h-healed already but he wouldn't take n-no for an an-answer!" Iori seemed to be breathing all the more now, recalling his memories one of another which only displayed pain on his face. I stared at him focused when I noticed a small movement in my peripheral vision, but I ignored it and focused on Iori, trying to understand what he went through.

"S-So my dad sent m-me to cousin M-Miyako's school, and he said it'd be d-different here then it was at my o-old school. I told him it'd be all the same – that'd I'd just get beat up again. He refused to let me be homeschooled – he said it was less of an education when there weren't "trained professionals" there watching me every minute. And now I'm here and I'm trying not to have a break down because someone's following us." Iori gasped out again – though his breathing seemed to even out by the end of his explanation. And then the words sank in… someone was… **following** us?

"Iori, what do you mean –"

"Shh!" He silenced me with a finger to my lips. For some reason his closeness made me startled and I could feel a faint trace of heat rest on my face.

"Someone's behind that wall – three paces to the left behind it exactly. They're retreating because they heard me say I knew they were following us, listen closely." And he was right I heard the faint sound of retreating footsteps in the hall perpendicular to us. I was amazed at Iori's sense of awareness. I guess he really was a prodigy…

"How did you know that? You were face opposite that hallway the whole time, I was the only one who could see it and I didn't even notice someone was there." I was astonished.

"I don't know really, I mean the doctors say I have hyper-sensitive hearing but… I must've just been lucky – I'm probably just paranoid."

"Wait! But there was actually a person there! I heard them. What do you mean you have hyper-sensitive hearing?" I asked shocked. Could his ears really be good enough to hear that well?

"Well, I was born with eardrums increasingly sensitive. It made hearing easier for me, and over time I just developed the sense more – I hear a lot of things more clearly then I'm supposed to apparently… even when I had my mp3 player on I could hear them coming…" Iori had drifted off into his own memories and I watched him with an ever-growing curiosity. Good hearing? Was that all it took to know someone was following you – he must have some pretty good hearing…

"What do you mean, you heard _them _coming?" I asked and Iori sighed.

"Well I had gotten my first mp3 player for my birthday not too long ago – my aunt gave it to me, I always loved my aunts gifts, especially because they were usually things my parents never let me have – like the mp3 player. I had put it on walking home and I thought I heard the people from my school – the ones who beat me up – behind me. I didn't pay too much attention to it – I wasn't as paranoid as I am now. They thought they were clever hiding when I turned around and returning when I turned my back. I knew they were following me all along – I just didn't know what for. Even without the mp3 player I still wouldn't have done anything differently… I didn't expect they wanted my blood as much as they wanted to surprise me…" I cringed at Iori's choice of words. His _blood_? Wasn't that a bit over the top for someone just beating you up? He continued anyway.

"They came from behind me and too the right of me from one of the bushes that extended from Mrs. Markson's lawn. I remember every detail so vividly that day; it was the day I was beaten till I was almost dead; it was miracle that I didn't die just from the first blow. They started off by throwing me into a fence with all their might; it successfully made _something_ break in my body… They then picked me up and swung me around until I hurdled right into a garbage can. They pulled me forward and then shoved me into a nearby alleyway on the other side of the street." Iori took a breath then continued.

"I remember hearing two people come from behind me, and I ducked crawling away with all the speed I could muster. But it wasn't enough, they pulled me back easily and stomped me to the ground with their feet. It was then that I heard someone run up to me – I thought they were finished and that this was someone coming to help. Instead this was another person from my school who must've wanted to join the fight because they broke my arm in one swift snap… oh God did that hurt, I couldn't even breathe, just crying was becoming laborious… I'll spare you the rest of the details… they're sickening just to think about… it was turning out to be such a good day before that too…" Iori was already crying, not like a little child would, but silently in place barely trembling – only recalling his memories.

The yearn to help him was too much for me and I gave in. I gave him a light hug, hoping he'd stop recalling the pain. He sniffled slightly and then sank to the floor – scrambling to pick up all his papers. It seemed like the crying had stopped and he had escaped my embrace. I bent down to help him.

"No it's okay I got it." He retorted gathering everything up quickly. He shoved it in his backpack and zippered it in a haste.

"I should go – I'm sorry for wasting your time. Bye." Before I could even react Iori was gone in a flash – only a few papers rolling in the air currents around me from his running departure. The left over papers fluttered to the floor, and I instantly recognized one – It was his locker number… 1386… I gathered the rest of the papers that were mostly just boring advertisements about the school, and hurried to find out where his locker was… I knew the number but I never took notice to even know where the lockers were besides me – I'd have to count down from mine – 1752… what a joy 366 numbers to count down from…

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**(Ken's POV)**

I couldn't see straight. My vision was blurred. I didn't know which was up, which was down, or which way was the nurses office… I felt the weird contractions in my stomach telling me I had to relieve myself of excess food immediately.

The food I had just tasted made my throat burn, made my eyes water, made my head dizzy, made my body feel weak and disoriented. Two words… Jalapeño. Peppers. Daisuke had thought it was funny to slip the dreaded peppers in my breakfast while we waited the last five minutes for school to start. Where he had gotten these horrid vegetables? I have no idea… though he always pranked me he always had a kind of protective air around me… an aegis if you will. I recalled almost a kind of premonition I had in my dream just a few hours ago. I seldom remembered my dreams just like normal people, though when I did remember them it was weird – I felt like there was some kind of truth to them – of course I could just be insane and these dreams could just be dreams… I felt like today a lot of people would need protecting, a lot of aegises would need to be cast.

The aegis Daisuke had always provided for me was usually directly after the prank, where like right now he'd provide something for me to reclaim myself – right now it was a tall glass of ice-cold water. I'd never been so happy to see water before in my life…

I felt an odd sense once the water touched my lips – I felt… rain… I didn't get it… I didn't physically feel it… I felt as if a sixth sense that there was to be rain…

That the Aegis would be troubled by rain, the thunder would crack and so would the bones of the innocent, and exchange… I foresaw an exchange or well – _pre_-saw if you will, an exchange that was going to lead to something increasingly amazing… the revelation of our school… when the rain would soon fall… and then the bell rang…

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**(Yamato's POV)**

I had gotten a call early this morning from the WEMA (Winter Elephant Music Awards), declaring that I had been accepted into the running to win an elephant just like the reporter had said. I had eagerly called all my bandmates soon after to tell the news – though they had suspected no less from the WEMA committee from the foreshadowing that sneaky reporter had gotten for us. I couldn't wait! I was ecstatic! And winter was so near. I also had heard of another thing that was supposed to happen on the day of the WEMA contest – the lunar eclipse. A rare event on a rare event… how ironic…

There were many plans coming together soon, most of them not mine. My brother had mentioned something revolutionary happening in the school but never expanded on the idea, he just kept to himself. The winter dance was also coming up and Hikari, Taichi's younger sister, was all over that with her friend Miyako. In about three months Hikari had become practically the ruler of the freshman grade – I had warned her about that. With power comes – not responsibility like how most people thought – an absolute need to focus. Stern focus would hold an empire, not relaxing in the luxuries obtained by said power… It's like playing with fire…

I tried to get my mind off the Heroic point of view and focused on what I was supposed to be doing. I had gotten the day off to practice with my band for the WEMA's. The principal was happy with the idea – he thought it was completely fine, didn't give a care that I was missing school.

I had been humming a song in my head the whole way through the streets until I reached my friends house. I looked up and noticed the clouds becoming big grey puffs above me, they looked omnipresent as one big cloud covered the expansion of the sky. I shuddered at the thought of the amount of rain that could disperse from that single cloud… hmm rain… that was odd the television stations predicted clear skies and sunny days all week, not a single drop of rain…

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**(Koushiro's POV)**

I wasn't happy about this… not one bit… I was getting ready for my biology class when I noticed that the teacher had posted a huge poster that said there was a field trip coming up to a museum, and it was mandatory – that is if we wanted a grade for the quarter… I groaned aloud and could only think this as something bad – well at least some of my friends will be going to the museum with me… Ken, Daisuke, Jyou… they all had my biology class – unfortunately so did Takeru. Takeru used to be my friend… now he was more or less my mortal enemy – he doesn't even spare me a glance anymore… though I know most of it is just s charade for Hikari's sake. I'm what most people would consider a nerd… and Takeru didn't hang out with nerds…

I walked towards the classroom with a slight frown on my face and books in hand, I was prepared for another dull, boring, and long day ahead of me about things I could do in my sleep – I guess I was sort of a genius…

"Koushiro!" Someone called from behind me. No, that wasn't just any someone. That person made my heart melt, made my sweat drop, made my face flush, and by the time I contained my reaction I looked like I had just run a marathon…

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(A/N:) That's the end of part two! Hope you like it! REVIEW PLEASE!!! Tell me what you think!!! But don't take constructive criticism to a new level – keep it mild here people it's just a story not the declaration of independence… Thanks for reading! Review!


	3. The Hindrance

(A/N:) Next chap, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own digimon, if you think I do then you're wrong, sorry to disappoint…

**Warning:** Yaoi, boy & boy relationships, && some not so good language (possibly)

Now on with the story!

**_Empire_**

**Part III:** The Hindrance

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**(Iori's POV)**

Life is like an obstacle. One that completely blocks everything good out at the right times to make sure you can't get over it's barriers… You could go through life three times over and it always would find a way to surprise you. I was running for my life today. My mind was lingering on every minute, no every _second_ of my lasting existence. I felt like last years events – of my horrible mauling – were taking place all over again except these didn't have physical stakes, these stakes were set all in my emotions. I had just cried and been consoled by a person I found absolutely beautiful. I had just spilled my soul openly to a stranger – a friend of a friend. No a friend of a cousin – a cousin who hated me, just like everyone else…

Takeru must've thought I was pathetic and weak; I wouldn't be surprised if he rounded up some of his friends and lead them to declare a bounty on my head. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned the whole school against me with rumors of my weakness – just like in my old school. And I knew Miyako would just laugh a long with them – the feeling I had had previously with Takeru the feeling of aegis, had completely disappeared and had turned me into a weak scurrying creature escaping a trap made by a hunter, a blonde beautiful hunter. I wasn't worth anything – I wasn't worth time, not even Takeru's time. All that happiness – though it seemed so true – must've been fake. He was just like everyone else, and this weird connection I felt when I saw him must just be some misinterpretation of a bond. I had no one, because I was Iori. Iori Hida.

I had all my books in my backpack already, which weighed an astounding amount – yet I was still able to swiftly run from Takeru successfully using an incredible burst of speed that was an expense of my high adrenaline count, which was pulsing throughout my body. I knew I wouldn't be able to replicate the same burst unless under similar circumstances as I was in now – I don't think I had ever run that fast in my life.

I looked at my schedule – one of the papers I had in gathered from the floor from in the hallway with Takeru. Apparently I had biology now… and then I had history… and then math… and then first lunch period… I scanned through the rest of my classes for the day as I reached my biology classroom. The room seemed like any normal classroom except for the body parts everywhere in class cases. Pig hearts, peoples brains, skeletons, cut-open frogs, turtle shells, they were all everywhere. It made we shudder with disgust. I didn't want to be anywhere near anything dead mainly because I was so close to death as it was…

There was only one other person in the classroom when I arrived there – a dark, maroon haired kid with bulky strong arms, and wearing what seemed a long sleeve blue shirt under a short sleeve black one with a soccer ball as an emblem in the far left corner of the shirt. He was wearing a dark blue pair of jeans that were the same color as his shirt and a pair of black shoes with a single white stripe running across them, which matched his soccer shirt. He looked like a jock even without the blatant resemblance for a soccer uniform that he was wearing (besides the jeans of course).

I went to sit in the first row of the classroom until I noticed that that would be a clear indication that I was a nerd – I wanted to at least last more then a day here before I started getting death threats so I moved back a couple rows to about the middle of the classroom – not too far that I couldn't see but far enough that I looked inconspicuous – or well at least I thought so…

The maroon haired soccer boy seemed to be focusing hard on the book he held in front of him, until I heard the dim sound of music and I noticed he was wearing headphones cleverly disguised with the book – blocking most of the wires and console itself from sight. He wasn't reading – he was just trying to look like he was in case the teacher came in, probably.

I sighed and began searching through my backpack for my biology books and once I found them I scattered them across my desk which was bolted to my chair I was sitting in. I began to read – sort of like the other kid in the room – except I actually paid attention to the words. I tried to remember every single word that passed through my mind on the page, I would need to catch up from the three months I missed of this school – yet I was sure that I already knew everything from my past studies. Everything did seem very familiar…

Right now was one of the moments that I didn't understand why people called me a prodigy… I was just smart – I wasn't anything special or extraordinary… that's why I had no friends…

The bell rang awaking me from my morose thoughts and I noticed about half the class had filled into the classroom while I was deep in thought not paying any attention to my surroundings. No one was on either side of me, or in front of me. I noticed the maroon haired kid now had two other friends he was talking too, one was a long-violet haired boy with young features, and the other was an older boy – or at least he looked that way, he had red hair similar to the maroon haired kids hair, yet his was more red-ish orange then red-ish purple. They looked like they had been friends for years – had bonds that could never be broken – those words dug deep at my sanity, my mind, and my existence. I wished I had someone, just one person… but no instead I had stuffed animals who were never surprised at my stories, who never smiled with my presence like Takeru, who were never mourned over me when I was hurt… they weren't quite what I wanted – I more or less wanted something at least in the human species…

I all of a sudden heard a small pat noise that came from the windows. I closed my eyes and listened hard when I heard another pat noise and another and another until it had almost a tempo. Soon the room seemed darker through my closed lids, everything seemed more clear as I blocked out every noise except the sound of the pats coming from the windows… Soon the pats lost all tempo and they came down in large bursts and groups, the spurts almost unrecognizable until I let my conscious mind intervene… it was raining…

My eyes opened wide and I noticed the rain hitting the window and the atmosphere outside the window dark with blackened clouds… fog was settling nicely on the ground… and it didn't make any sense… it was winter wasn't it? It must've been a miracle… and at that moment the violet-haired boy that was friends with the maroon-haired soccer jock mimicked my expression. For a minor second we locked eyes and I felt as if I had some odd connection to him. His eyes conveyed surprise but not because it was raining exactly but more that he was right about something… right about it raining… something told me that he somehow foresaw the weather… and he knew that I knew.

I jumped from my seat and ran to the door before I ran into something hard yet comfy. Two large arms wrapped around my shoulders holding me steady from my clash with this person. I looked up and found the same blue eyes looking at me from the ones this morning at the wall of students. The blonde puff of hair was unmistakable, but how had this person been following me and I hadn't known… he couldn't have known where my first class was already – he just met me… so how'd he get here?

"Wow, you have my biology class? Oh wait – are you okay buddy? You seemed like you were in quite a rush to get out of here." His voice was tender and it had no hint of enmity that I supposed would be present from my previous show to him of weakness. I then became aware from my hearing that the class was excruciatingly silent, there was no more noise of the students talking and chatting to their friends happily and everyone's eyes were most likely focused on Takeru and I. I shuddered violently scared to death from the attention.

"Well where ya going? The second bell's about to ring, you'll be late for class." Oh yeah, that annoying thing called class… damn…

"Um… I – I was… I… I don't know…" I managed to get out locked in a stare with Takeru who started smiling. He kept hold of one of my shoulders and lead me using that grip to my seat where I supposed he guessed where I sat and sat down in the vacant desk next to me. Takeru seemed to be reading my expression – my face conveyed fear, embarrassment, shock, and horror. Everyone was still looking at me… I couldn't take it much longer – my cheeks were probably just as red as I thought were which was tomato red. I was _not_ used to attention obvious due to my past…

Takeru's expression turned hard and he looked around him glaring and everyone soon returned to all his business understanding his message through his expression. He looked back me with only happiness. I noticed only one person who still had their focus still on me besides Takeru – that violet-haired kid who had a pained expression, and throughout this all I still heard the rain hitting furiously at the window – and I'm sure he was too…

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**(Hikari's POV)**

I usually have most of my classes with Takeru, but biology unfortunately not one of them, I have that class with Miyako though – who just escaped into the classroom just as the second bell rang starting class and sat down next to me – the teacher followed in soon after.

"Oh! I love your outfit!" Miyako beamed. She loved the color purple… probably because that was the color of her hair… She was wearing a green-and-grey-striped shirt with a lighter green pair of pants – they were like slacks except they ended just above her ankles where her green converse started – I began seeing a pattern here… She also was wearing silver bangles on her wrists along with purple jewel earrings. Her purple hair flowed down to about her waist, with a few purple bows in them keeping her hair in tight bundles, all in all she was definitely prepared for today – clothing wise at least.

"Thanks, you look great too. Love the earrings! Did you just get them? I haven't seen them before…" I said looking at them wonderingly.

She got her books open quietly while she answered me.

"Yeah – well sort of. My dad got them for me as an early Christmas present. He said that he didn't know if he was going to be home for Christmas this year because he has another business trip so he gave these to me early." Miyako sighed lightly, annoyed. She never liked that her parents usually left for the holidays and when they were home they usually made her do chores for them. They never were really much of a family – though I knew they still loved each other. The only reason I knew this is because the times they did have together Miyako never invited me over – she spent every minute with her parents. I opened my books as well and got prepared for another long dull class – that is until my phone vibrated. I got another text message.

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**(Taichi's POV)**

I texted Kari under my desk after getting a text from my friend Yamato. Trouble. A lot of it. Apparently Yamato's band was in trouble, their band had an upcoming concert and they promised the owners a full house – and they only had it half-filled. This would be bad if Yamato didn't know me, I was sending text messages to everyone I knew telling them to invite all their friends and family to the next concert spot at the Le Epoch restaurant. It was a popular restaurant but it was going through some hard times with some company corruption due to people inside the company trying to destroy it – who would want to destroy such an empire? I shook my head and got back to the task at hand – making sure that the restaurant was filled completely.

_To: Hikari_

_From: Taichi_

_Tell all your friends to go to Le Epoch at 8:00 p.m. on Friday to see Yamato's band play. We need a full house!!! Plz! Invite everyone you know! You're tight with most of the freshman class – invite anyone you want, try to make it more rather then less. Oh and tell them to invite their friends and so on. Spread the word. Be at Le Epoch if you think you're cool enough. Thnx! Luv you sis!_

I texted her and all of my other friends' identical messages about Yamato's band… this concert would be saved yet! I sat impatiently until the bell rang and then prepared to ditch school for the rest of the day – faking being sick so that I could visit Yamato and tell him in person I had the problem solved – in fact Hikari alone was really all I needed – she'd get enough kids to fill a baseball stadium if I asked her too… she's such a popular girl...

The bell rang, and I ran out of the room faking that I was about to puke – I just hoped this would work…

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**(Iori's POV)**

Takeru stared at me all throughout class – I noticed this while I fervently scribbled down all my notes. I could hear his breath come out in contented sighs every so often, and I could almost hear his heartbeat it seemed to come and fade and it was only then that I noticed that it was because – out of my peripheral vision – I could see his hand gradually try to extend towards my face and then retreat back every couple seconds. Oddly I wasn't uncomfortable – a little confused but not uncomfortable. It seemed nice that someone actually knew of my prescence…

Soon I noticed a note on my desk – I looked towards Takeru only to find he was staring hard at the chalkboard trying to fake that he hadn't been studying me or trying to touch my face – yet he couldn't conceal his ever-present grin, that smile that made my heart mel– wait where the heck was I going with that? I shook my head and focused on the note he placed discretely – well, he thought so – on my desk. I opened it carefully and quietly and read the words concealing my shock.

Iori, what lunch period do you have today? You should sit with me if you have first lunch period – it'll be good that you get to know more people here at our school – especially since your new.

I could only gape that he was offering something to me - to _me_. Not the girl in front of me - _me_. I stuttered before I noticed that it was a note and no stuttering was even required. I got out my schedule from my backpack quietly and looked at it trying to see what lunch period I had today… and by the graces of God I had the first lunch period. I remembered once again that I had first lunch period – I had checked my schedule before class started, it seemed such a relief nonetheless that I had first lunch period. Maybe my luck was turning for the better… maybe someone could like me… want to be my friend… My eyes sparkled with joy as I wrote back happily on the backside of the note.

Yes! Yes I have the first lunch period and yes I'll sit with you! Thank you so much Takeru, I'll see you at lunch then, I guess!

I handed the note back to Takeru when the teacher had his back turned and beamed happily. My eyes sparkling with wonder. I couldn't believe it – someone liked me. Liked_ ME_.I couldn't wait for lunch. And soon enough the bell rang making me that much closer to sitting with Takeru in first lunch period.

I got my books together until I noticed my backpack and schedule missing. I looked up and found Takeru grinning at me with my backpack slung across his shoulders. He extended his hand and helped me out of my seat and then took my remaining books from me and carried them along with his biology books.

"What are you doing? Don't you have your own classes to get to?" I asked as we exited the classroom. He smiled even wider – if that was possible – and then answered me with happiness evident in his voice.

"Nope I have your classes. I have pretty much the same schedule you do! I just don't have like one or two of your classes! This is amazing. But before we go to History, let's drop off all these books at your locker." Takeru said steering me through the crowd who once again opened for us making room. I could only gape – I didn't believe that this sort of thing happened. Everyone gave us ample room to move – it was like Takeru was controlling their minds…

I saw the violet haired kid from biology look at me in the faces in the crowd – my whole body shuddered – which Takeru didn't miss.

"Are you cold?" Takeru asked – his smile faltering. It was amazing how closely he paid attention to me. I just shook my head.

"No, I'm not, it's just…" I got on my toes and tried to reach his ear. He paused and waited for me to get close enough but I couldn't – I was too short. So he leaned down a little and I asked him my question.

"Who's that purple haired kid? He keeps looking at me weirdly – I've never seen him before today but it's weird I feel some kind of connection with him…" I said noticing just how insane what I had whispered sounded. He leaned in again to my ear and returned my whisper.

"That's Ken Ichijouji. Is he bothering you? I can tell him to stop if you want." I shook my head quickly signaling a no – that was definitely the last thing I wanted – I didn't need another enemy. We continued to walk when I noticed one key concept.

"Wait, I don't know where my locker is! I couldn't find the paper they gave me…" I trailed off feeling more pain at my unpreparedness… my dad was going to have a fit with me when I got home when he found out how ill-equipped I was.

"I know what it is! 1386! I'm sorry, I forgot to give you the papers you left behind on the ground this morning – I have them in my locker, I'll give them to you now." He said cheerily. He looked at my face and that cheer went away as quickly as it came.

"What's wrong Iori?" He said lifting my face with his free hand, using only two fingers. He made me look him in the eye and I thought I felt an odd amount of heat in my face form while I couldn't find my voice – lost in his gaze.

"I – I… um, I – uh…" I couldn't find my voice; it had truly been useless while I looked at him. His eyes were magnificent – the blue to a degree I had never seen in all of my life – the clearness of his sky colored iris's had captured all my focus and I could swear I went deaf just about then. I couldn't hear anything, I could only see – see Takeru standing in front of me and nothing else. My knees buckled and my expression softened. I felt like I was flying almost… and that's when I noticed I must have sounded like an idiot. I made a weak tempt at trying to clear my throat and I still couldn't tear away my eyes. I wished I could stare into them for so much longer but Takeru's frantic calls had finally reached my ears shattering the deafness.

"Iori! Are you okay? Answer me! Do you want to go to the nurse?" He sounded panicked. He sounded… like he cared… I found my voice just then and admiration poured through it evidently.

"It's just that my dad get's really angry when I'm not prepared – when he hears about all the papers I almost lost – or about how I – how I cr-cried –" I stopped right there loosing my voice once again and not daring go forward… I was so weak…

"Don't worry about it Iori."

"But-"

"No buts! He doesn't have to know – because you don't have to tell him. Let's get your books for class and put these things away before the bell rings okay?" Takeru winked at me and I felt my cheeks flush ten-fold. I felt like I was choking on air almost, yet with extreme happiness. I kept replaying the sight of Takeru's wink all through my head like an endless rerun all the way to my locker. I spotted the numbers big and bold on the outside of the locker that was mine – 1386. I had to remember that – and I felt my mind go to work. 1386, 1386, 1386 – I repeated to myself over and over again, and soon enough I couldn't forget it even if I wanted too.

Takeru stuffed my books in a neat row on the bottom and shelves of my locker. He pulled out my history books yet didn't give them to me. He held them for me and continued to walk forward.

"We're going to be late for class!" I said shocked when I noticed the clock on the wall of the hallway.

"Don't worry about it, as long as you're with me you're fine." He winked once again at me and slung his arm over my shoulders and led me to what I guessed was his locker down the hall from mine. He dialed in his combination and then something occurred to me… how did he know mine?

"How'd you know my combination? For my locker?"

"It's on the sheet with your locker number on it, I remembered it – but don't worry I won't tell anyone." He winked once more and my heart seemed to beat faster every time he did. He had taken his arm off my shoulders to get his books for history and then quickly slung it back over again as he finished getting what he needed and we headed to history together… It all felt oddly… right.

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History passed relatively quickly – we were studying the ancient Persian Empire. A topic we had discussed largely in my old school – I didn't even need to listen because I could recite the textbook chapter on it without even looking. It was so simple. We left off at the Persian wars between Greece and Persia and I took note that once again Takeru had been staring at me. When the bell rang he finally gained the courage and brushed his fingers across the side of my face when everyone was getting up to leave – and no one was paying attention to us. I leaned in to his touch subconsciously. They traced an unknown design on my face and while I was in my haze enjoying the warmth left on my face from the touch I hadn't noticed Takeru was already at my other side with my books and his in hand and his other hand waiting to help me up… I could get used to this…

Soon we were in math and it was the same deal. Takeru had my class yet again and he stared at me throughout every second. I couldn't help but think that these gestures could be more then friendly… but he was already in a relationship… a huge hindrance for him if he even was interested in me in that kind of way. I honestly don't know what he found so interesting about me that he could stare at me the whole period and not get bored. It was honestly fascinating for me. The second the bell rang the same thing from last period repeated itself – his hand traced along my face – yet this time slightly firmer and more prominent as if not to be taken as something casual and soon he was next to me with all my books and was waiting to help me up. I couldn't help but like the attention from him – even if I knew that we could never be together at least I could enjoy this…

Once we were out of math we walked to my locker first and he put in my books and got my books for the class after our lunch period. Lunch – that word made me want to cry out in joy. Now we could actually talk or do something rather then act that we were paying attention or even care about what the teacher was saying – nothing was expected of us in this period of time.

He slung his arm around me casually as he went to his locker and put in his books and soon we were off to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was huge. So many people – so so many people. I couldn't believe all of them belonged to one school – but then I noticed this was the First Lunch period, as in there was _another_ lunch period – which meant that there were many more people then these displayed in the large room. Takeru lead me to a table where a bunch of kids sat talking and laughing happily after we had gotten our lunch. I recognized only two faces instantly. Hikari – the goddess in herself, a person of which I couldn't compare, not in the slightest – and Miyako – my cousin who's ruse of loving me only faded when there were no adults around, she'd rather me dead… I saw how Takeru looked at her pointedly before we even got to the table – he was crushing on my cousin, dating the girl I found to be a goddess, and for some reason I felt jealous… really jealous…

Miyako scoffed at the sight of me and turned to whisper something to Hikari – Takeru didn't miss this and tightened his arm around me.

"Hey guys this is Iori Hida – Miyako's cousin. He's new to the school. Iori this is well… everyone…" Takeru smiled sheepishly. We sat down and almost everyone welcomed me. The only two who didn't were the ones who I already knew… the ones who hated me… well at least one did. Hikari seemed to look at me strangely… it was as if her eyes displayed something of a jealousy that mine had. Was she jealous Takeru had become friends with me? Was their relationship going as bad as I thought it was? It wasn't so much that I thought that they didn't like each other – it was that they didn't like each other anything more then a friend. I could actually see them being great friends, the best of friends in the school – it's just they didn't seem interested in each other.

Hikari sat on the other side of the table across from us, Miyako at her side, along with a tall dark-haired kid on her other side. Another girl with long blonde hair with a single streak of blue running through it sat next to Miyako, besides her was another large bulky male – his muscles the biggest of any I'd ever seen on a person his age – and the last two people were twins – two identical boys with short spiky brown hair, they were both regular height maybe even just a bit shorter then normal. There were two more people who came to the table slightly afterwards one was a girl with red curly hair that looked like flames atop her head, her face was covered in freckles and her teeth were an impeccable bright white, her clothes were tight-fitting and long making he body look very slender and the other was a boy holding her hand who I assumed was her boyfriend he had straight, messy, black hair and a slight tan, more lanky then anything. His eyes were a green-hazel kind of color and they stood out against his skin. They walked together in unison and everyone greeted them as they had done me.

Takeru broke through my thoughts as soon as I heard the breath escape his lips before he spoke – I valued my gift for hearing times about now – when I always knew when to listen and I never missed a single word.

"How do you like the school so far?"

"Good I guess, I already know most of this stuff though – I feel like I'm repeating part of my life all over again…" I said trailing off poking at my food with my fork. Takeru took hold of my hand on the fork and dug it deeper into the food and then lifted the tacked on food to my mouth and pressed it in.

"It tastes a lot better inside your mouth." Takeru joked as I forced myself to swallow the horrid food.

"Are you sure about that? I've tasted tires better then this stuff…" Takeru looked surprised at my choice of words… but I had tasted a tire once – and it _was_ better then this… this food tasted like moldy, wet, ice chicken. It wasn't even completely defrosted – I practically gagged.

"What do you mean you've tasted tires?" Takeru asked shocked.

"Well when I was nine my older cousins had come over for Easter. My second eldest cousin, his name was Kano, had just gotten his drivers permit, and his older brother Fudo was already a licensed driver. They had driven to our house themselves and their parents came in a separate car – they wanted to show off their new cars and their skills. When they got into our driveway they ran over a nail – we had been doing some construction on our first level and must've left a nail out their by accident – and they popped their tire… So Kano thought it would be funny to give it to me as a prank. They somehow managed to get it into a cake my mom had bought and told me I could have it all. At the time I was barely allowed sweets – I still am not allowed to – so I took them up on the opportunity – I thought I was eating the cake and noticed I was really eating rubber with icing. Honestly, with icing it wasn't that bad… at least not as bad as this…" I mock-gagged towards the food before me and Takeru burst out in a fit of laughing.

"Wow, ha-ha! You're so right! Tires beat this crap any day…" He continued his chuckling and before I knew it he was shoving another piece of food in my mouth – I didn't understand the point of it until I tasted what it was. It was a brownie? I wasn't allowed to have that! Under my dad's strictest enforcements! I was not allowed sweets!

"What are you doing?!" I coughed, and gagged. Takeru frowned, I sensed that he thought he may have been going over the line with this but he was way off – I didn't care if he piled food into my throat all day, I was just concerned about how my dad would react…

"My dad will _kill_ me when he finds out I just ate – ate that brownie!" I coughed once again, seeing as if maybe it might lead to the expelling of the chocolaty substance from my stomach – no such luck. A wave of relief seemed to overflow Takeru's expression and he grabbed a napkin handed it to me to use. I wiped my mouth and swallowed grudgingly. I couldn't believe I had broken one of my fathers rules… it felt bad, immoral, inconsiderate, and so… so right….

"He'll never have to know Iori – live a little, you'll die of boredom if you don't push the envelope once in a while… besides you're not exactly the fattest person around – I'm sure you can spare the calories." Takeru grinned at me; I could only helplessly return it staring back into his eyes. Our eye contact held unbroken for minutes on end until I noticed the all too familiar sound of silence. The other good use to my ears – they not only alerted when there was sound – they also alerted me alarmingly when there wasn't any. I was too afraid to take my eyes off Takeru only to find what I knew what I would see – the whole cafeteria staring back at us both…

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**(Taichi's POV)**

My attempt at faking sick worked perfectly and I left the school easily without another obstacle yet now I faced another hindrance – I didn't know where Yamato was practicing with his band. I took out my cell phone from my pocket and called Yamato's number. I hummed quietly as I jogged to my car waiting for Yamato to pick up. The rain was still falling from when it had started this morning and now it was even raining harder. The whole sky was black and signs of lightening clashing through the clouds presented itself only in sound and small traces of light – the thunder made it clear that there was definitely lightning somewhere even though it was hidden by the clouds…

"Hello?" It was more of a question of surprise then one of greeting.

"Hey Yamato, it's Taichi. Where are you? I got out of school and I want to watch your band practice." I said while I put on my seatbelt and put my keys in the ignition.

"I'm at Bunmei's house. It's going to be boring – we'll be playing some songs over and over again until we get them right, do you have the patience for that?" I snorted. It's not like I was five! I could handle that, besides Yamato's voice was amazing – beautiful – it made me sigh of content just thinking of its velvety sound. The sound of Yamato's voice was more then enough to hold my focus – I was sure…

"Yamato stop being a pain, I can handle that easy. You have an amazing voice – a gift from God, and your band is talented beyond belief – I'm sure I'll manage…" I said pulling out from school parking lot. I technically wasn't supposed to be driving without another licensed driver until I reached my birthday but who would know? It was a short ride to Bunmei's house, no one would notice and no one would care, what could go wrong? Shit, didn't that usually jinx things? Oh jeez… I better just hope there aren't any cops in Bunmei's area…

Thankfully I had gotten there without a problem, without a burden, without a single hindrance or conspicuous look aimed in my direction at all. I was satisfied – was becoming a good driver…Once in Bunmei's house I got to Yamato quickly noticing they were on break and they were laughing along with each other about a joke I had missed due to my late arrival. Once Yamato saw me he got up from where he was sitting and quickly greeted me then pulled me aside telling the others he had a call he had to make to someone and that he'd be right back. We got outside on the porch and then he turned to me his expression hopeful.

"Did you get anybody to help with our concert problem?" Yamato asked eagerly practically bouncing in place with anticipation.

I was going to answer when I noticed how cute he looked, how adorable his actions were, how hot he looked in those tight jeans he was wearing. I shook my head to dispel the thoughts.

"Well? Did you?" Impatience was something rare with Yamato – it seemed that today was full of rarities – raining during the winter, Hikari raising her voice, and an impatient Yamato, if a circus clown with a monkey juggling turkey legs walked right past me it wouldn't have surprised me in the slightest…

"Yes. I got my friends and Hikari all over it. You'll be lucky if you have enough seats to put all the people!" I said finding my apparently lost voice. His expression turned happy in an instant and he embraced me without a second thought. His arms were tight around my body and slowly my arms came around him – my hands resting on the small of his back.

"Thank you Taichi! Thank you so much!" Yamato said looking up at me still keeping the embrace. We locked eyes for a moment and all that was the rain and wind seemed to become mute as we looked at each other. The world seemed far and distant and the only thing that occurred to me was Yamato – it usually always happened like this when two people fell in love – it reminded me of someone but I forgot who and didn't care enough to try and find out.

I leaned slightly closer to Yamato, who tightened his arms around me. My eyelids slowly drooped over my eye providing just enough view to see that Yamato was still there. I felt him press into me more as I leaned down until finally… my lips… met Yamato's…

The kiss was filled with passion and it was definitely was not a friendly peck – if there was such a thing. I didn't know exactly why now had felt like the right time to kiss Yamato, but I did and I'm happy. And then reality hit me – we had to get inside… now…

It would only be soon enough that the paparazzi could show up and slash pictures and ruin everything! I hated those damn reporters!

Though every thought in my mind told me to pull away and break the kiss, every force in my body told me to intensify it and make it more physical if possible outside on a porch… I didn't really recognize how attracted I was to Yamato until now, and I didn't want to waste a single second of it. I savored his taste, and my hands roamed his body as if searching for a runaway critter on his body. I pressed him closer to me and broke the kiss only for air. I looked into his eyes still keeping him pressed against me. His arms wrapped strongly around my neck, and one of his legs practically wrapping around my legs. He was panting and his eyes glowed with joy and love and just about every other emotion of relative happiness right now as he looked into my own eyes.

I thought he'd break away from me and freak out like how he normally did about things like this but instead he eagerly returned his lips to mine wanting more. He tightened his arms as much as he could around me and we were practically meshed into one person by this point. I held him with just as much force as he clung to me. My tongue playing happily in his mouth while my hands were slipping up his shirt… it was only when we heard someone clear their throat that we stopped out kiss and merriment – though we didn't break our tight embrace, I guess we both valued the feeling and exchange of body heat… Bunmei looked upon us with a disappointed expression, I could only imagine the badness that would come out of this…

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**(Ken's POV)**

That small kid, what was with him? He seemed oddly familiar, oddly important. I had never seen him before in my life – but I felt like I knew him better then I knew myself, I shuddered at the thought. He knew everything when he looked into my eyes and I knew everything when I looked into his. When he ran this morning he was terrified like he felt that I knew too much – I felt the exact same. And when he looked into Takeru's eyes it had the same effect when Daisuke looked into my eyes. I was utterly and completely calm, wave of relief fell upon me like the rain had fallen upon the window outside. There was something odd about the person you felt a connection with in this life, whether that connection be love or something completely supernatural beside itself. I felt the supernatural with Iori – how'd I know his name? It was written on his eyes, in blatant bold words – his irises practically screamed at me with fervent calls, calls of faith, calls of dread, calls of indefinite connection… Though we were connected I read through his eyes that we both didn't know how or why – we just were, it was one of those moments where you can only hear distant noises, where you can only smell the aroma's not around you, where your eyes only sense things of the future, I only knew one thing – something bad was going to happen, today… soon… My correct premonition about the rain only made me more sure about this – something horrific was going to descend on Iori, and no one could stop it… the world was getting hollow, easy to glide through in between itself. There were more secrets then ever, more loopholes, and this made it so easy to slide around the world here at school – no one was suspecting because… no one knew…

A sudden scent in the air recalled my focus, my nose alerted me of it, and it was the stench of another Jalapeno Pepper I was sure… I wasn't surprised this time as I was the last time. My nose had always been better then what's normal, my sense of smell heightened whenever I needed it to, and I could smell the different smells of everyone around me their scents so distinct that I could pick out the disguised pepper Daisuke had once again decided to try and prank me with. Last time he pranked me with it – this morning – I thought I was going insane because no one in their right mind would just randomly eat a Jalapeno pepper for breakfast, that just didn't sound appetizing at all. So now I was sure I was sane, and I wasn't going to fall for it again… besides where was Daisuke getting all these peppers?

"Hey Ken want a bite?" Daisuke asked chuckling. I tried my best not to grab the sandwich and throw it somewhere behind me in fury, and thankfully my best was enough – I contained my annoyed reaction and tried to make a calm façade.

"No, thank you." I said politely and started eating my lunch when all of a sudden it got a extremely quiet in the cafeteria and the sandwich Daisuke had offered me slipped from his finger from lack of traction between them – the look on his face was of shock and horror. I traced his stare – and pretty much everyone else's – and saw Takeru and the odd small boy Iori staring intently at each other as if they were just about to kiss. I only merely stared I honestly couldn't care less if they were on fire – if they wanted to kiss then do it and stop making me miss my lunch time…

"Ha! Ha! You blinked first!" Takeru all of a sudden shouted out at Iori – who's expression went from dreamy, unknowing of everyone's stares, to terrified, now knowing of everyone staring, and relief when Takeru tried to make it clear they were having a staring contest. When they looked around trying to pretend that they just finished a game their expressions made it seem that they were confused and befuddled at why everyone was staring intently at them – why everything had gone quiet.

Soon enough people let their focus wander back to their own tables and friends and go back to whatever they had been doing and the cafeteria got noisy again. I definitely saw through their ruse – they hadn't been playing any game, that was a stare of true admiration – and everyone else was fooled.

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**(Hikari's POV)**

Apparently something important happened while I was at lunch today. I was texting quickly to everyone I knew about Yamato's concert that I missed what made everyone so quiet – Miyako told me Takeru was just being weird, and that didn't surprise me at all. Takeru has a tendency to be odd just about every hour of the day and though I like that about him, I also really don't – because if he becomes a laughing stock I'll have to break up with him, and I think he's really adorable – why break up with someone you like? That is… unless there's someone else you like more… I shook my head to clear those thoughts, I was with Takeru now and as long as I was I would try to be faithful to him – because everything I did was seen by everyone else in the school because of my popularity, and I couldn't be caught cheating on him, it would ruin my reputation.

So for now I just sighed and finished my lunch and chatted with Miyako until the end of the period, hoping that they school day would just end soon so I could just relax and not worry about tests, or helping Yamato, or staying faithful to Takeru – I could just sleep, or take a shower, or go to South freaking America and no one could tell me no. That is what my mind kept focused on to get me through the day…

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(A/N:) I like how I ended it, Hikari isn't evil just a little mad with power, but hey when you've got so much power wouldn't you want to use it too? The next chapter will probably have a lot more Yaoi then this one or any of the previous chapters, because you can only drag out a story for so long. So read and make sure you **review!!!**


	4. The Codicil

(A/N:) Next chap, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own digimon, if you think I do then you're wrong, sorry to disappoint…

**Warning:** Yaoi, boy & boy relationships, && some not so good language (possibly)

Now on with the story!

**_Empire_**

**Part IV:** The Codicil

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**(Iori's POV)**

I have never been good at accepting a consequence, and now was no different. It has been said that when you're lost you improvise – and that's what Takeru did. He improvised on the spot – changing what everyone expected to a (false) truth. We had been staring at each other like lovers in the cafeteria, and Takeru had saved us from embarrassment of that. A "staring contest" he'd implied. Though the truth was I hadn't blinked – not once, I couldn't tear my eyes away from his face for a second and I would've stared at it all day if I hadn't been disrupted. If only Takeru wasn't so popular…

The bell rang signaling the end of the period and Hikari seemed like either she didn't know or didn't care what just happened and I doubt many people would challenge her on her thoughts – I could tell already that nobody wanted to be on bad terms with Hikari.

Takeru took my books and his in one arm – like he'd been doing all day for my morning classes – and leaned on me rather then put his arm around me, it seemed a lot more casual. His elbow rested so close to my ear that I could hear his heartbeat with my sensitive ears and it was like a melody had flooded my mind and cleared it of all my worries and thoughts. Something occurred to me this moment – I was in love with Takeru.

Okay, okay. Maybe love was pushing it a little; I mean how could you love someone you just met? Was that possible? I've heard of the saying "_Love at first sight_", and the all-famous expression "_You had me at hello_", and how some people just have to see each other once and they know the other person is "_the one_", but I'd never thought any of that would happen to me and… with a **boy**. I didn't care much about gender – if it was love it was love it wasn't a different feeling just because two people were of the same gender, it was all the same and not even the most homophobic people could change that – it was fact, feelings don't have genders, they're just feelings. And like most feelings love is one that is uncontrollable and unlike other feelings love is one that is unchangeable. You are bound to it like a dog tethered to your neighbors front yard – it could resist all it wants, it could bark and whine and cry, but no matter how hard it persists it's going to be stuck to that tree. Love is the same, once you have that person its almost impossible to break your leash to the other person – at least this is what I've heard… and scarily enough what I'm feeling now – I'm the dog… and I'm struggling to get free but I'm stuck, and while I'm staying stuck I'm finding out I like it here – being tethered to Takeru, him being my tree. He's so stable and strong just like a tree – _my_ tree.

Okay so he wasn't _mine_ yet, but maybe someday… oh who am I fooling, no matter how much I want it no matter how much I beg – no one's going to tie me to my tree, Takeru was a tree much to out of my league for me to be tied to…

"Wow, I never knew I mattered so much…" Takeru murmured to me as we left the cafeteria.

"Never knew? Are you kidding?! They're like your personal slaves! I've never seen anything like this before – ever!"

"Well I'm glad you enjoy it, soon enough people will treat you like this." Takeru smiled happily at me – that wonderful smile that I've already come to love every time he smiled it.

"What – what do you mean?" I stuttered locked in his gaze once again but kept moving.

"Well you're not only Miyako's cousin, but you're my friend – you've got it made! You'll be popular in no time Iori!" I heard the rest of his sentence but my mind stuck on one word. Friend.

"Friend? You're my friend?" I asked confused and surprised completely.

"Sure! That is if you want us to be – I just figured…" Takeru trailed off looking away.

"Yeah! I mean – yes, yes I'd really like that." Takeru turned back and smiled at me – how I loved that smile. That smile and the sound of his veins beating with his blood in his arm created almost an ecstasy for me. I felt like I was flying. I couldn't believe that this day was happening. I'd broken my fathers rules, my classes had been the simplest I'd ever had, and most importantly I'd made a friend – that I valued the most. I couldn't believe it, me Iori Hida now had a friend! Oh how I loved the word, it ran through my head over and over like a broken record because the exact meaning of the word wasn't registering. I just couldn't believe it, a friend… I had one… it was truly an amazing sensation…

"So what class do you have now?" Takeru asked me cheerily. I pulled out my schedule that I'd folded and put in my pocket. Before I could look at the paper while I unfolded it the violet-haired boy, Ken, caught my eye. For some reason – despite Takeru telling me – I knew his name was Ken all along… I felt like I somehow knew it.

Ken looked at me oddly – his eyes deep in thought, which I could tell, and his whole body stiff when he spotted me. For a single instant my mind raced, literally I saw flashing lights cloud my eyes that my mind was searching all over the place until I recognized it wasn't my mind I was searching – it was Ken's. I suddenly felt all the emotions Ken had felt; I suddenly knew everything Ken had known, I suddenly saw everything Ken had seen… My face flooded with terror just as a crack of thunder erupted from outside. Another crack went off, and another, three in succession all sounding unusually the same – not a difference in pitch or sound or placement… as if the lightening struck the same place three times… but that was impossible… lightening doesn't strike in the same spot twice…

The rain entered my ears and erupted a pounding that shadowed the lovely sound of Takeru's heartbeat. I dropped my schedule to the floor and my hands trembled, my vision hadn't yet been regained and I still saw the flashing lights in my eyes. My whole body felt rigid and I began to shake uncontrollably… like love. My ears pounded so hard it was like someone had been beating a metal bat against them, and my eyes saw waves of yellow and hues of blue and tints of pink all bright colors and it made me extremely dizzy as if I was going on some kind of fast ride at a carnival. Something bad was supposed to happen according to Ken's mind… and whatever it was it was happening now.

Even with all my knowledge I couldn't figure out what was happening – but it was not normal. I felt my body shake ferociously until I felt a hard smack against the whole left side of my body – it took me a second to realize I had fallen to the floor. All these events happened… within 5 seconds… it only took five seconds to completely incapacitate, immobilize, and paralyze my body besides the involuntary quakes my body made.

I heard one sound besides the pounding… besides the thunder and lightening… besides the deafening sound of the constant rain, which before this I had found soothing… I heard Takeru calling my name, asking me what was wrong, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't respond – like a dog tethered to the tree I could struggle and cry all I wanted but… I wasn't coming free… not from the incapacitated state I was in… not from the strobe lights erupting in my eyes… not from the pounding in my ears… or the null senses of taste, smell, and touch which now were all numb… I was trapped…

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**(Takeru's POV)**

"So what class do you have now?" I asked loving how this conversation was going. Iori reached down into his pocket and pulled out a small folded piece of paper, which I guessed had his schedule on it. He was halfway through unfolding it when I noticed him looking weirdly at something from across the hall. I traced his gaze and found it upon Ken. I made a weird face and nudged Iori slightly. He took no notice. His eyes went wide with horror, his mouth hung open slightly, and his face looked like it was sculpted from stone – completely still and permanent. He gasped loudly and dropped his schedule and I felt ready to attack Ken if he was doing this to him – this happened while Ken kept his gaze… maybe I could interrupt it… he looked like he was hurting inside immensely. I waved my hand in front of his eyes and called his name twice and that was until I heard the thunder. Three repetitive bolts echoed throughout the school and Iori fell the floor while I was distracted. He began shaking quickly, almost like he was vibrating but slower.

"Iori!" I dropped our books, which landed in a big heap beside my feet, and I quickly rushed to Iori's side. I looked around for Ken but he was gone. My eyes filled with fury and pain, Iori seemed so innocent, so weak, so much in pain that it hurt _me_. I scooped him up in my arms carefully making sure I didn't hurt him while he shook around, and ran towards the direction of the nurse's office.

I ran through the crowds of people who opened for me and the only thing I could think of was my poor Iori… wait did I just say _my_? He wasn't mine… not yet… and not by a long shot… besides I didn't even know if he was gay or even bi. But now wasn't time to think about that – now was a time to rush to save his life! Though I doubted that it was that critical… though it did look really serious…

It was weird how easily I came to like Iori, he was so perfect, so cute, so adorable, so innocent, and besides those qualities I loved his outlook on things, the way he always seemed logical and loyal qualities I'd always dreamed of having but was never able to learn… I rushed him to the nurse hot on my heels; I don't think I had ever run so fast…

Once at the nurse I barged in making the door strictly collide with the wall behind it. My entrance had alerted the nurse immediately who sat behind the desk filing some yellow, white, and green colored papers into a filing cabinet. She looked up and just as quick as she did she was at my side pushing me towards the student bed. I set Iori down carefully on the bed making sure he rested his head gently on the pillow trying not to wake him if he had been asleep. The shaking had stopped now and he truly looked like he was sleeping… though that made him look a lot more innocent and cute it also terrified me because what if… he didn't wake up?

"What happened?" The nurse asked me panicked. She obviously had never been in an emergency like this before considering her shocked and crazed expression. She did look quite young for a nurse…

"He just dropped to the floor while we were talking and started shaking rapidly. I didn't even have time to think he just… collapsed!" I burst out – the fear of this all catching up with me.

"Oh wow, wait did you say shaking?" The nurse asked looking at me through her rimmed glasses, which slid down her nose every so often. She quickly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as it fell to her face, her cinnamon-colored hair tied tight in a bun behind her head, it seemed to turn into a crimson as the hair progressed to the back of her head.

"Yes, all over the place! It was like he was being electrocuted like how they do it on the cartoons. Buzzing and shaking and trembling up and down and all over the place, it was so weird… He was looking at this other kid and he just I don't even know…" It was ludicrous to think Ken brought this on… I mean, he didn't even touch him; he just _looked_ at him, one look – that was it!

Speak of the devil. Ken shot through the door his long purple hair in a flurry of violet strands. He had a ton of books in his arms and he looked disgruntled. He walked straight towards me and shoved the books in my arms and I noticed they were mine.

"Hey! What's the big idea?!" I practically shouted.

"No time for that! We've got to help him, he's having a seizure!"

"A seizure?!" Both the nurse and me called out in surprise at the same time.

Ken went to work on Iori, feeling his wrist for a pulse quickly before turning to us.

"He's got a pulse. He's completely knocked out though. This wasn't just a seizure I can feel it. It was a seizure though, but something else hit him at the same time, I just don't know what. You have to call an ambulance!" Ken shouted but the nurse was already on it dialing the number of emergency on the telephone on her wooden desk – the green, yellow and white papers scattered in a disheveled heap atop it.

To add to the oddity Ken… sniffed Iori. I gaped at him, what the hell was he trying to pull.

"His bodies defenses are shutting down! Something's attacking him in his… blood." Ken took another sniff of Iori's wrist.

"Yeah, definitely in his blood. It seems like some kind of allergen is going through his bloodstream… it smells like cocoa…" My faced paled at Ken's weird identification. Cocoa was like chocolate right? And chocolate… that was in brownies…

"He's having an allergic reaction to the brownies!" I shouted out. I heard the nurse murmur frantically into the receiver of the phone behind me.

"Brownies?" Ken asked, but didn't give me time to answer – he sniffed Iori's stomach, lifting up his shirt. I was halfway to punching him straight in the face for even touching him, the fact he was lifting up his shirt made me halt him – I felt kind of… jealous and… protective or Iori.

"Hey just what are you doing? Why are you sniffing him and lifting up his shirt? You some kind of pervert or something?"

"I have an extraordinary sense of smell – I can smell the chocolate in his system, but it wasn't the chocolate alone something reacted with the cocoa in the chocolate and made a chemical reaction strong enough to replicate that of a seizure and temporary weakening of his bodies defenses. I can't say what was the other substance that caused the reaction unless you let me find out – are you going to let me or are you going to be jealous and become difficult?" Ken asked clearly irritated I was halting his diagnosing. I was shocked at how much he knew about doctoring or about science or medicine or _anything_… How'd he know all this, it seemed to be completely perfect timing between the stares and when this thing hit and when I got Iori to the nurses office and how he knew just what was wrong with him when the nurse was confused and only scratching the surface of what was wrong – this was just completely… supernatural…

"G-Go ahead, just b-be careful with him a-alright?" I stuttered feeling immense fear. Today had probably been the weirdest day of my life and I was all too eager for it to be over, for this drama to finish hoping there was no more bad news looming around the corner but something – call it some kind of intuition – I felt like worse was about to happen… I couldn't shake the feeling…

"I will be as careful as if handling a newborn child." Ken said calmly and lowered his face to Iori's flat stomach, which barely moved. I hoped he was still breathing.

Ken sniffed his stomach and a weird expression came on his face.

"What the hell did he eat? The smell is completely unrecognizable, but it's disgusting all the same…" Ken said befuddled, he crinkled his nose in disgust. I thought Iori smelt really nice…

"Well he had some cafeteria food, what could be in it that would effect Iori and not me? I ate it too."

"Did you have a brownie?" Ken asked looking back at Iori.

"No, I gave it all to Iori…" Realization began to dawn on me and Ken confirmed my thoughts.

"Then the cafeteria food was the problem, the cocoa in the brownie and our mystery substance in the cafeteria food mixed together and the outcome was something more or less… unfavorable… I'm surprised he didn't just throw up… but whatever the outcome is we still should get his stomach pumped – get the food out of his system before it can take a full effect – if it can already lower his immune system like I'm smelling that means it's definitely harmful for his body and we shouldn't let it progress further. Also it means for a short interim of this and his regaining strength that he'll be undeniably exposed to any small sicknesses – I would suggest you keep watch on him after this – if he gets sick it'll be longer and probably much worse then it would be normally. He doesn't have the correct defenses – white blood cells actually – to help his body make antibodies and prevent the sickness or lessen it. You must be very careful with his health – I'd stay away from cafeteria food for now." Ken said and pulled Iori's shirt down over his barely moving stomach. He got up and walked towards the nurse who was tapping her fingers impatiently on the desk whether it is because Ken had just done her job for her or because she was annoyed that the ambulance was taking long, nonetheless she was unhappy. I went to sit over by Iori.

I let my fingers slide across the side of his face quietly as I had done in our morning classes and felt his body soften at my touch – almost instinctively. He grunted slightly and that alarmed me but at the same time overjoyed me – Iori was alive! He grunted once more and seemed to struggle on his place on the bed until his eyes slowly fluttered open. At first his expression was pained but then when I saw his eyes focus on my face he cracked a small smile.

"Iori! Oh! I'm so happy you're okay! Wait you are okay right? Does anything hurt?" I asked frantic but tried to calm myself down.

"I-I think I'm okay, my stomach hurts a little bit and I feel a little dizzy but I think I'm fine… what exactly happened? I just remember being terrified and then everything got loud and lights flashed and everything just spun and then everything hurt and I can barely even explain it…" Iori trailed off.

"You just collapsed and started shaking violently right on the ground, he I didn't even have time to catch you – I didn't know anything was wrong. I picked you up and brought you straight here. We're getting an ambulance to bring you to the hospital… Ken says we should have your stomach pumped… what you ate at lunch caused this and Ken said it had a chemical reaction or something… he – um… _sniffed_ you… Trust me I was really weirded out, but I didn't know what to do and I figured it couldn't really hurt… so…" I looked away and then looked back to find Iori's eyes looking sparkly and sprightly and his expression funny. He was… laughing, no – he was… chuckling?

"Wow, leave it to me to get diagnosed by a student who can sniff me and know the problem… I feel like today can't get any stranger…"

"You're telling me…" I said rolling my eyes. Iori tried to sit up but winced with some pain that probably came from his stomach. So very carefully I lifted him up from the bed and placed him in an upright position on my lap and wrapped my arms around him.

"Thanks," Iori said fumbling with the bottom of his shirt with his fingers, "for everything… for being my friend, for bringing me to the nurse, for helping me… well of course sit-up…" I could tell he was struggling with this; he probably just didn't want to seem weak…

"You're welcome." I said – and before I could think about it I kissed him quickly on the side of his face and leaned back while also pulling him closer to me. After a second or two of his body being tense he seemed to relax and snuggled with me on the bed in our sitting position while we waited for the ambulance… things seemed to be getting better…

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**(Taichi's POV)**

Deep shit didn't cover half of what were in. We were in so much trouble that it reeked of an imaginary scent that loomed in the air threatening to kill us like a poison. It seemed like it would be almost easier to face a lion in the coliseum then face Bunmei – Yamato's bandmate – who was absolutely furious with us – whether it be because it looked like Yamato and I had had a secret relationship and had been sneaking around behind everyone's backs, or it was because Bunmei may be homophobic and just didn't like the idea of Yamato and me together, or a third option he thought I wasn't good enough for Yamato – which I could understand, because… I didn't think I was either…

Bunmei lead us from the porch back into his house into an empty room with a desk, three couches and a television set on a stand, and a single window at the far end of the room being attacked by constantly falling rain and a few cracks of lightening showed through it.

"Yamato… I will ask you once… what was _that_?" Bunmei's usual animated and or reserved expressions faded and turned to panic. He was either happy and lively or he forced himself to be calm and normal when he was around other people – those were the only two kinds of mindsets I've ever seen on him – so this of course came as a both a shock and a surprise.

"I – I think I like Taichi… a lot… that was our first kiss I swear!" Yamato said urgently as if Bunmei's mind would immediately assume the worst – as if Yamato truly cared about opinion critically as if Bunmei didn't approve that any relationship we have would be null and void. I could now see that they were definitely very close…

"Well it seemed pretty intimate for a first kiss… I mean you practically were inside each other's clothes…" Bunmei muttered clearly frustrated though I didn't know what exactly with…

"Well… Taichi… do you like me a lot too?" Yamato asked quietly as his eyes studied a vase in the corner of the room while his face remained one of tepidness and slight fear. I almost gaped and answered quickly and rushed to make sure I got my point across that I felt very serious and fervent about this – it wasn't a fling or some joke I had planned, I really liked Yamato – I just hadn't realized until now, and that was the honest truth.

"Yes! Yes I really, really like you! You have no idea, Yamato I've kept it a secret for what seems like forever! I've always felt… attracted to you but to be honest I've never noticed I liked you in more ways then one until really just now outside, I mean I've always had that feeling but I never thought it was… a feeling of…" I didn't want to say the dreaded word "love" which was like a death sentence for an early relationship so I used a different word… "of… affection for you…" I finished saying.

"R-Really? You mean you really l-like me l-like that?" Yamato seemed extremely nervous – I've never seen him like this before… ever. It was unreal and completely rare for Yamato to ever be unreserved or not in control, right now was the only time I've seen him truly… breakable… I'm sure he's lost his temper and sometimes control of his emotions before but he was always strong now he was just… a mess. I wanted – no I _needed_ to help him, to comfort him, to tell him I loved him while I kept him safe in my arms, while I kissed his pains and fears away just like every romantic poet has written about for thousands of years, like ever romance novel writer has inscribed on a page, like how every hopeless romantic has dreamed about. And every time I tried to think about this the word 'romantic' kept coming up… and I noticed… that's what I wanted to be… romantic – with Yamato.

"Yes Yamato, really. I like you like you much more then friends –" I paused and got down on my knees in front of him on the couch he was sitting on.

"Yamato… will you be my boyfriend?"

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**(Miyako's POV)**

I couldn't stand it anymore – the seconds ticked away on the clock but time seemed to stand still. Takeru was supposed to have coed gym with me this period – but he wasn't here… who was I supposed to talk to this whole time and ignore the game completely? I mean I could of course talk to my other friends but Takeru was so much easier to talk to… he seemed to always have the answers to all my questions. Right now I was in a changing room with all the other girls in my gym class and I snuck another peak at the clock hanging on the wall – not even a minute had passed. I pulled on my left sock and sighed. This was going to be a long day…

I, like a lot of girls, was not very fond of physical education – or gym as I called it – and today was not an exception, in fact I hated it now more then ever… stupid gym…

"Hey ladies time to get out on the field! You too guys!" The coach called from outside the locker-rooms/changing rooms, the two words were pretty much the same thing but the sign outside said just that, so that's what I've always come to call it… when I was speaking I usually didn't say "slash" though… I shook my head and focused on putting my clothes on until I noticed I had unknowingly finished putting my clothes on while I was distracted with my thoughts – just dandy I couldn't prolong my changing, it was already dragged out anyways…

I got out onto the field – still no sign of Takeru – and headed towards the far end of the field where a group of girls were huddled chatting about something. I decided I might as well make due with everyone else in this class… they can't be _all_ bad… maybe only 99.99% bad…

"Hey Trish, wassup?" I said to Patricia, she sat next to me in my history class – she always chewed on the top of her pencil, which I found slightly repulsive…

"Nothing really…" She sounded suspicious as if this was some kind of joke. Right then I wondered if I was really as popular at my school as Hikari said I was… did people think they were talking to some kind of goddess when I said hi to them? Well that's definitely not creepy…

"Oh, cool-cool. Yeah so… we have that big history test tomorrow and the next day on Rome… that two-part test thing… I don't know how I'm gonna pass that…" I shook my head. We were studying Rome, apparently it was important to know about all histories in the world, I looked at the next chapters in the book, the next section would be on ancient Japan – at least something that makes sense, and then the Americas – some of our American teachers are actually teaching that section, I doubt that just because you're American makes you an expert, most of my other teachers were regarded as sensei's or master's (it's old English apparently, though they're nothing close near _my_ master, it's more of the other way around…), but no my history teacher was a mister. Mr. Hale – I was in Daisuke's class, though I doubt he noticed… he was practically invisible in that class and usually asleep. The last chapter I had looked at after the America's in our book before I lost interest was the Persian Empire – now that sounded pretty interesting, I couldn't wait until that chapter… I heard they're rulers were tough, strong, relentless, merciless, and possibly insane and mad with power at some points – I wish the Persian's could teach me instead of dumb Mr. Hale…

"Yeah… um I thought you just cheated off of everyone?" She said it sourly and as more of a statement rather then a question as if it was fact and not an opinion. She walked away before I could respond and my face was left dumbfounded. I was _not_ stupid. Maybe not incredibly smart, but I was definitely NOT stupid! I should get my boyfriend to all up in her face – oh crap I forgot… I can't because I really didn't have a boyfriend… I kind of did… well I have been secretly dating Yamato for the past week… he said he didn't want to make it public because he didn't want the reporters to know and write badly about him because he was going out with a freshman – like call him a pervert or child molester or something… but I knew he wasn't and if I still got the guy – kind of – what really matters anyway?

I sighed and turned to someone else in the circle of girls only to find that they all had their eyes on me shocked, confused, their expressions were hilarious.

"Are you going to just let her say that to you and just walk away? You totally messed up – well Hikari and you – totally messed up that nerdy kid just last month for calling you lesbians! And you destroyed him like tissue paper, and now you're just gonna let her walk away? Does she have something over you?" One of them burst out without thinking – which I could tell because she gasped and covered her mouth quickly after. And then I just remembered she was right – I didn't have to take that, I was in shock – truly I was – but I seriously forgot why… and now I remembered it was because no one absolutely NO ONE talked to me that way… oh she's gonna pay.

"Don't worry you're right. And no she doesn't have something over me, I'm not being blackmailed… I'll get her don't worry…" Already the plans were forming in my head new rumor and gossip ideas cradled their way into existence and my mind turned evil for a single moment and then I hammered it down so my expression wouldn't give anything away… oh she was definitely going to pay…

"Watch and learn ladies, this is how its done!" I said as I moved in on my prey like a mother lion stalking a poor lonely gazelle ostracized from it's heard. This gazelle's guts were going to be all over the floor – maybe gym today might just be fun…

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**(Iori's POV)**

I grimaced instantly feeling nauseous. The room began to spin and the only thing keep me from passing out was Takeru. He held my hand the whole time while the stuck a tube that looked more like a garden hose then anything else and shoved it down my throat. Takeru put his arm around me hugging me close to him and rubbing my arm with his hand. I almost threw up when I saw the weird liquid come through the clear tube and Takeru sensed it instantly. He kissed me on the cheek a multiple of times and on his last one I was so accustomed to the feeling of his lips on my face that I almost fell on my side because my head was searching for his much-wanted lips. He chuckled slightly and wrapped his arms around me tightly and kissed me again - and then I heard a sigh.

It wasn't a sigh of annoyance or irritation it was one of admiration and love and I looked in front of my to see the female doctor stare a love-struck stare at me and Iori, her expression completely dreamy and her eyes on the brink of tears of joy. I couldn't believe a girl would get all hyped up about this, I mean I guess she thought it was cute and she was a girl – girls were always into romantic and lovey-dovey kind of stuff – so it didn't really bother me much but I could tell I blushed from the heat on my face – and the ever perceptive Iori didn't miss it.

"I think it's adorable when you blush…" Takeru whispered lovingly in my ear, his lips moving against my cartilage as he spoke. The words blended into a kiss on my ear and then almost a nibble as he began massacring my ear with kisses. Of course this all just made me blush more. His arms rubbed my back lovingly and his lips traveled around my face kissing lightly and randomly across my jaw-line and cheekbone and any other part accessible to the side of me he was on. I almost forgot that my stomach was being heaved for it's contents and that the feeling of something even in my body gagging me was enough to make me go insane – this was taking much longer then I thought. Of course I kind of thought that it'd be just like puking except into a tube but this was not the case at all – it was like my insides were being ripped out of me and pulled up my throat – it was nauseating… I tried my best to not look at the tube…

"Don't worry Iori soon enough we'll be done with this and then we'll probably even get off from school for the rest of the day… you can come over my house if you'd like to." My heart skipped a beat for a moment and I wanted to shout, "YES!" at the top of my lungs in happiness but something quite annoying and quite nauseating was blocking my speech. I just nodded my head slightly – just enough to not disrupt the tube. Takeru smiled.

He hugged me tightly – or well tighter because he was already embracing me and his hands dug into my hair – he ran his fingers through it thoroughly as if his separate fingers were all searching for something. I soon felt my stomach completely empty and the tube making an odd sucking sound signaling that it was now vacuuming up the right side of my intestines and the doctor quickly snapped out of her stupor and turned off the machine. He carefully pulled the tube out of my stomach and everything felt oddly… empty… not just hunger empty but I felt like there was a whole much wider space in my insides then her was before – yet the second and I breathed in through my mouth the feeling left and everything seemed to be feeling better inside me.

"You may want to drink some water – or some people actually prefer to gargle to get rid of the taste of the tube or any stray… um… contents that may have come loose in their mouths, if you wish to do that then there's a bathroom just outside this room down the hall." She pointed to the closed door which Takeru swiftly opened for me – until he realized that I was way too short to land on my feet without stumbling – especially after this nauseating and dizzying disaster – so he quickly rushed to my side. Instead of helping me down though he picked me up in his arms and kissed my check quickly, more of a peck then anything else. He walked out the door he opened with me in his arms and in the distance – thanks to my great hearing – I heard the lady doctor sigh in lovely awe at our departing scene of affection.

We got to the bathroom soon enough and Takeru set me down on top of the counter on the sink. I folded my legs and swung them back and fourth between the space of the ground and the high countertop. He had somehow produced a cup – he had probably gotten it from the doctor's office – and on further evaluation of it I confirmed that thought because it was the same brand of cups on the doctors desk in the room I had gotten my stomach pumped in. He filled the cup with the water pouring from the faucet until it was about to the top and moved the cup to my lips. I gulped it down greedily not only wanted something else to fill my stomach but for the fact that the doctor was right – the tube's resonant taste in my mouth was horrible and the water cleared it away easily.

Once he was done he threw the cup out and was about to help me off the countertop and or put me back in his arms again until I interrupted him.

"Wait! Takeru… what are we? Like what are we doing…?" He knew what I meant and a pensive look crossed his face before he answered.

"That depends… what do you want us to be?" Takeru asked, eyes flickering away from my face for a moment before they returned when I spoke.

"I want us to be together… but Hikari is –" Takeru silenced me immediately.

"Don't worry about her, do you want me to be with you… be your boyfriend?" Takeru asked looking hopeful.

I looked in my head, I'd known this person half – maybe three quarters of a school day at most and I declared him my love at first sight, declared to myself that I liked the feeling of his lips on me, declared that I wanted to be as close to him as physically possible – all in a single day… so I of course answered with the first word that came to my mind…

"Yes." That one simple word that came out of my mouth brought me into a whole new world – one where I felt the strangest sensations… love… clarity… admiration… affection… and… petrifying horror… wait what the hell? I recalled that feeling in my mind and upon further inspection I studied it I found a fragment of what I remembered from looking into Ken's eyes – something bad was going to happen… the bad thing wasn't the food that practically gave me a seizure or the fact that I was missing my classes further upon breaking my fathers rules, no – there was something worse to come… something large and fast something put up by tiny pieces woven together by fine threads holding something much larger then I could fathom – it all made sense to me now – the attention Takeru got, the way the crowds opened to him, the way everyone listened intently and lingered on his every last word, the way he was so used to infinite popularity… this all was a intricately finely constructed realm made my power-hungry teenagers… this was all based on one sole matter… Takeru's popularity. This was all a kingdom – no an empire. The difference? In an empire there's one sole emperor, or well empress in this case, and she – being Hikari – had absolute power. She was like Cleopatra, Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, Elizabeth – all were very powerful ruling women, Hikari was just another name in that section.

But one thing reminded me of something… something always said in history… something I saw in Ken's eyes as well… history repeats itself – and all emperors, all empresses, all rulers, and more importantly all _empires _fall. Nothing lasts forever, and the fall was coming soon… the Greeks, the Romans, the Persians, the Mayans, the Chinese, every empire fell even after long strectches of time… and now was my history lesson… this was the fall of the empire of Japanese College Preparatory High School in central Japan… and now I had one question left to answer… _was I loosing my sanity?_

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**(Koushiro's POV – in the morning)**

"Koushiro!" Someone called from behind me. No, that wasn't just any someone. That person made my heart melt, made my sweat drop, made my face flush, and by the time I contained my reaction I looked like I had just run a marathon…

I turned to find Jyou there – the most beautiful creature to have ever walked this earth… his hair, his face, his skin, his everything! It all just made my face burn up in unrequited love! School was codicil compared to Jyou, I loved school, but I much loved Jyou more. A lot of extra things were going on today – some yet to happen. My friend told me of his strange dreams and how he'd predicted the rain… it was weird and if the rest of his dream came true then some person he hadn't met yet was going to get sick – very sick, and go to the hospital, many people were going to get together – he said he didn't know in which kind of sense just that they would… he said he did see some romance though so you never know… hey wait a second maybe that dream was about me and Jyou…

"Hey Koushiro!" Jyou said as he reached me in the halls.

"Hey Jyou." I answered smiling at him. He smiled and then continued – I hope Ken was right about this. If I could get my prince then Ken was practically a psychic!

"I wanted to ask you something…" Jyou said as he smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck. Holy jeez! I think Ken really is psychic! Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! I had to almost clamp my mouth shut because I almost began to hyperventilate. I just couldn't believe my knight in shining armor, my king; the person who I admired most was just about to ask me out. Who cares if he was a junior and I was just a freshman? That didn't stop us from being friends so it shouldn't stop us from being boyfriends…

"Do you – do you have the math homework?" Jyou asked looking away. I was in advanced placement in math – I was like math (and computer) genius, I was in Jyou's class – that's how I met him in the first place and I loved him ever since I laid eyes on him. But my heart sank and this whole nervous show was just because he didn't want to sound dumb by asking a freshman for the homework to his class – a class he was supposed to be in not me… I wanted to scream…

"Yeah here." I said taking it out of my homework folder grudgingly. I couldn't disguise my disappointment or anger in my voice or in my expression and I think he thought it was for the fact that I was giving him homework to copy – not because the truth really was I wish he had asked me out instead…

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**(Hikari's POV)**

You'd think I'd get used to this wouldn't you? The constant annoyance that is school. You'd think that after a while you might even look forward to it – especially for someone like me who held most of the power in the school – a good-sized portion if not all. Yet now I sat in my biology class wondering about how many different ways I could kill myself in the back of the classroom when no one was looking from all my assimilated boredom.

"Hikari Yagami am I boring?" What are you a fucking psychic? No seriously what the fuck?!

"Oh my – GOD YES!" I shouted out my eyes practically bulging out of my head. Everyone laughed at my reaction – I might have even let a chuckle escape as well… and soon enough the teacher followed the crowd and cracked up right there on the spot – it had been so quiet before I blurted out insanely loud practically implying my thoughts of jumping out the nearest window when the opportunity presented itself. The laughing didn't last too long as the teacher did have the means of self control and Sensei Suzuki – what a nice **brand** of vehicles, I might just call my teacher **Brand**y from now on… - yeah so Brandy quieted the class and gave one last funny look at me before returning to writing his notes on the board. Wow even the teachers are under my control – and in truth this was the one teacher who I didn't have any blackmail on at all – not even a single rumor that could possibly fly with her… she was not a bad person yet I hated her because she was a teacher and made me do boring things all the time like look through a microscope (which I usually ended up breaking by the end of the class, so far I've went through seven different types of telescopes as well as 15 actual telescopes in all, wow I am truly awesome…). I tried to concentrate on the class but I couldn't it was a lost cause – you had me at hello? Heh! More like you lost me at "_sickle-cell anemia_" in this case…

I looked out the window bored when I noticed an ambulance go out of the parking lot from out the window… I saw a blond tuft enter the truck right before it left… I thought to myself could that be Tak- …nahh! Couldn't be him… Then I noticed something even more important… a window! Now was my chance! I could jump out it and escape this boring class and get on with my life… well actually get on with my untimely death and funeral. So I readied myself to make a run for it before I noticed something else… I was way too tired and much too bored to move… if I did I risked using energy – that was not an option for me, I had so little to use… So I figured I'd wait till another time to do it… maybe I should bring an energy bar to this class tomorrow… it would make this a hell of a lot easier….

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(A/N:) HEEEYYY PEOPLLEESS!!! Don't worry this day will end eventually… I've always had a hard time with that kind of thing… it's just… so much can happen in a single day, it's amazing! Like in reality literally so much happens that you don't notice, so I'm taking full advantage of it… well anyways **review**!!! More on the way!!!


	5. The Alcove

(A/N:) Next chap, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own digimon, if you think I do then you're wrong, sorry to disappoint…

**Warning:** Yaoi, boy & boy relationships, && some not so good language (possibly)

Now on with the story!

**_Empire_**

**Part V:** The Alcove

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**(Iori's POV)**

If impatience were a virtue it'd be my most worn one out of the few I have. Today I was impatient for many things – for Takeru and I to get home, for a safe haven for me to relax in, and most importantly for this day to end. When we finally arrived at Takeru's house Takeru hadn't wasted a second with babbling or making small talk – he just dived in and captured my lips in a hold completely unbreakable even if I was willing to break it – which I definitely was not. I slowly winded my arms around his neck while he locked his firmly around my waist. I heard the door slam behind me – probably by Takeru blindly kicking behind him in a successful attempt to close it.

Takeru picked me up not breaking the kiss – in fact he was deepening it by prying my mouth open with his tongue and I felt like I once again I had lost all my senses. He laid me down on the couch only releasing my lips for a couple seconds to breath. Soon enough though he began kissing me again and settled on top of my body on the couch – his knees bordered either side of me and his hands locked my wrists in two firm iron grips against the soft fabric of the sofa. He pressed his lips to mine once – twice – no, three times until he began kissing my neck tenderly as if massaging it rather then kissing it. I felt my face heat up and my hands slightly tremble. Though right now I felt the safest I had ever been in my entire life – his body forming a safe alcove atop the couch for me to securely nestle into comfortably – I had been scared nonetheless.

Though it had never been discussed in any schoolbooks – nor had I ever talked about it with my parents I felt like this was right – yet wrong at the same time. I felt the right with the way I so easily had become accustomed to Takeru – yet I thought it wrong for the same reason… I was getting so intimate with someone I barely knew… or maybe someone I knew completely – someone who I didn't have to guess with, maybe my eyes which were playing the pictures of reality in front of me were trying to convey a different message to me then the one I was receiving… This wasn't about being ready or know how to be ready– this was about knowing how to face the obstacles life put in front of you, this was about being able to handle yourself on bare instinct alone, this was passion sent into your body in flurries of emotions on too high a scale to be charted – this weightless feeling – this lightness that people had always described in the thousands of years of romance that had ever been written by any great author had all come from the feeling of being truly light - light in heart, mind, and spirit. I felt all three. I felt as if I could do anything I wanted right now or nothing at all – I could choose this path to follow or let a path form for me all on it's own. I shouldn't be scared.

This indescribable feeling was truly just a bunch of emotions all come together and with Takeru practically feasting on my flesh above me I had no choice but to succumb to the sensation.

"Takeru," it was somewhere in between a moan and a call. I couldn't get my voice to come out evenly as well as my breath – everything inside my body was racing and my speech was slurred and completely inaccurate. The rest of what I was saying came out in disjointed mumbles and moans.

"He, he. Wow Iori, wanna try that thing called "speaking" again?" Takeru said lifting his head to my face where he pressed his lips firmly and then softly as he glided down my face to the side of my mouth. His fingers tangled the mop of hair on my head – twisting and traveling through the locks of my hair. Takeru's tongue licked lightly at the edge of my mouth and then slowly traveled around my bottom lip – teasing me as I tried to bring him into a kiss but he kept cleverly evading me. I used my hands to secure him in place and then crashed my lips into his before he could escape once more; my confidence in this had never been ceasing to surprise me. A weird impulse made me bring my hand to the buttons on his shirt – it was a blue button-down that matched his eyes and his dark blue jeans only there by continued bringing out his eyes – and I began to unbutton the buttons one by one.

Takeru soon caught on and before I could get onto the fourth button he lifted the shirt I was wearing from over my head – he threw it somewhere behind us. He made a low gasping sound – not one of horror or dreadful shock but one of… surprise? He began to trace his fingers over the contours of my chest leisurely – each finger seemed to be dragging along its own course rather then one hand leading the rest. Before I could even understand what exactly was going on or finish unbuttoning his own shirt he bent over closer to me and began kissing my chest – starting at my collarbone.

I didn't let this detour me though from my course of action. I began to unbutton his own shirt while greedily lifted my body to meet his lips if they escaped my skin too long. Soon it was off and it was sent away like my own and I marveled at the sight before me. Takeru was amazing – his muscles finely sculpted into his skin as if made from skin-colored marble, his skin was silky like a soft piece of cloth that hung over constantly shifting muscles that made me want to drool. And eventually I did drool when I saw his arms – never before had I noticed how large they were, or how muscular. He honestly didn't seem like a brawny kind of guy – more of a preppy kind of person like Hikari – prim and proper and social. It was couple seconds before I registered I was massaging his body with a blatant look of awe on my face – I must have looked completely stupid. Yet when I looked up at Takeru he was grinning – probably because he was clearly satisfied that I liked his body and there wasn't any doubt that I didn't – my expression clearly showed it.

He reached over to brush my face once again and I felt the small traces of heat that resonated there afterward – the feeling as if someone had dragged a pen across my face and you could see the marks except with Takeru I could feel the marks left behind and his fingers were the pen. Takeru made a quick haste to make due with my remaining articles of clothing when at the exact moment he touched them something buzzed in my pants – oh dear lord not now.

"Oh jeez…" I moaned. I pulled out a beeper from my pants pocket grudgingly and moaned. It was my father – he had stashed a beeper in my pants without my even knowing – he's done that on practically every big occasion of my life. He does it because it'll only alert me that I need to be in contact with him whereas a cell phone can play music and record video, and take pictures an play games, and be used to call and text random people for no reason – basically he preferred the beeper because it didn't let me have any fun – plus it was cheaper.

"What's going on? What is that?" Takeru asked – clearly frustrated that this black beeping box had interrupted his eagerness to strip me further.

"It's a beeper – my dad's trying to get in touch with me, I honestly never know how he gets it to me without my knowing but he does – I thought I checked everything thoroughly before I left my house this morning. I have to call him – can I use your phone?" I asked my voice trembling slightly because of my hearts quick racing and my heads constant feeling of lightness. He groaned and gave a pointed stare at the bulge in his pants and then looked back at me.

"Can't he wait a little while? It's not like he's gonna send the police after you right?" Takeru asked – though it was sarcastic I had to look away because it was all too true. My dad would call the police if I didn't call him about five minutes after he beeped me – he definitely would do that – he'd worry like a mother for her son fighting a war, though this situation was not close to quite the degree of that. Takeru sensed that my looking away confirmed a yes to his rhetorical question.

"Ugh… you better go call him then before the C.I.A. knock down my door." It was scary just how right he was with that sentence… He led me to the kitchen then took a portable phone off its charger and handed it to me with a smile – his expression also seemed quite impatient sending a clear message to me that he wanted this call to be as quick as possible. I hoped it would be too, yet I could never have correct expectations of my dad when he worries….

I dialed the number to my house and on the first ring he picked up – he must've been waiting by the phone… how humiliating… it's not like I was dead – … yet….

"Hello?" I said with a hint of frustration in my voice. I was slightly angered that my dad of all people had to interrupt when I was having fun.

"IORI HIDA JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TODAY? GETTING YOURSELF SICK AS A DOG AND THEN NOT PHONING ME! I HAD TO FIND OUT FROM THE NURSE! THE SCHOOL NURSE, IORI! AND THEN I HEARD YOU DIDN'T GO BACK TO SCHOOL! JUST WHERE ARE YOU NOW? ANSWER ME IORI!" My dad was shouting at me louder then I thought.

"Sorry, dad! I'm so sorry! It just slipped my mind – I was sort of… um… preoccupied with something… and I'm sort of over at a friends house…" I said my voice breaking slightly. I was afraid at what would be waiting for me when I returned home. I knew I could only imagine the punishment my dad would bestow upon me the second I walked through the doors.

"AT A FRIEND'S? WHAT FRIENDS DO YOU HAVE?" My dad was clearly in shock… wow I didn't know my dad knew that much about my social life… well then again the fact that no one visited me when I was in the hospital after I got beat up last year by those annoying juniors in my school maybe have given it away…

"M-My friend Takeru, dad. I, um, am over his house… he invited me, after I had gotten sick we were allowed to go and we went to his house – I'm sorry I didn't inform you, I just figured I'd be home before school was supposed to be over…" I looked at the clock and then noticed a letter on the shelf besides it – I looked at the address on the middle of the envelope… according to that… Takeru… was my… neighbor?

"Hold on a second dad!"

"DON'T YOU TELL ME TO HOLD ON BOY! I'LL GROUND YOU SO HARD, SO HELP ME…" I held the phone away from my ear at that point and turned to the impatient boy besides me.

"Takeru, is that address _your_ address?" I said pointing to the letter on the shelf.

"Yup I'm 203 Spruceland Avenue – why?" Takeru asked curiously with a slight edge to his voice – he probably thought I might use it to coordinate some kind of police targeting with my dad to barge down his door. I chuckled slightly dismissing my thoughts and answered him.

"Because I'm 205 Spruceland Avenue – you're my neighbor!" I said cheerily. No wonder he walked the same path I did to school this morning.

"Wow, are you serious? That's insane! You do know what this means, don't you?" Takeru said – slight suggestiveness in his voice. I blushed immensely, but smiled at the thought.

"Yeah, I guess. Well it also means something else – I wont get in trouble with my dad!"

"Hey dad?" I said putting the phone up to my ear again.

"IORI YOU HAVE NO IDEA THE KIND OF –"

"Dad, wait a second!" I said quieting his rant. "I just found out, quite ironically, that we're next-door neighbors to Takeru!"

"Um, that's fine and dandy but I don't care who the hell we're neighbors to! I just want you home immediately, do you understand?" I stifled a groan.

"Dad no you don't get it. Takeru is my friend; I'm over at his house. Which is directly next to ours. As in if I walked out onto the front lawn and so did you – you'd see me." I tried to make it as clear as possible hoping to end this conversation soon and get back to my waiting Takeru.

"Seriously? Uh, okay well then I still want you home regardless – you have to catch up on your studies – you missed quite a fairly large portion of school today. So come home A.S.A.P." I stifled a groan once again.

"Dad classes today were easy – I could recite them in my sleep. In fact if you want to hear the whole first chapter of any class I could recite it to you by heart – try me. I don't need to study for anything – I'm completely fine. If you don't mind I'd like to get back spending some time with my friend, so I'll see you soon enough."

"Iori! How dare you! I want you to come home this instant! You have to study regardless! I want you to be able to recite every chapter by heart in… in… in Spanish! Yes, just incase, you should be able to know it in more then one language!"

"¡Lo siento, tengo que ir a padre! ¡Adiós!" I said my goodbye in Spanish just to humor him – I was fluent in English, Spanish, Japanese, and German but my ignorant dad didn't know that… I hung up on him sighing as I did. I placed the phone back on the charger and then turned to Takeru – yet he already had his arms around me the second I set down the phone. He captured my lips in a kiss running his fingers through my hair – he lifted me up effortlessly and held me in his arms before carrying me over to our previous place on the couch. He set me down gently before climbing on top of me to take his previous position. Before he could kiss me again there was a pounding on the door. Takeru and I groaned together simultaneously.

"There's no doubt that that's my father come here to give me a strict scolding." I muttered unhappily. Takeru kissed me quickly before getting off of me and heading over to the other side of the room to collect our shirts. We both put ours on before we answered the door.

"Iori, you are coming home this instant! You owe me an apology! And you deserve to be grounded for what you did – this is unforgivable! What is wrong with you today? You can't just glide out of school like its no big deal and you can't shirk your studies either!" My dad was practically shouting to a degree where my other neighbors could hear him from inside their respective homes. I had to calm him quickly before someone complained.

"Dad I could teach you everything we learned today and everything that we will learn for the next month! In three other languages BESIDES English! I could take a test on it right now and not get a single question wrong – there is nothing I need to be doing in school or study at home – I know it all by heart and I've already written notes for all my classes last night based on the texts. I am fine dad so can you just leave me alone? I don't mean to be rude but I'm a little busy right now." I was practically fuming by the end of this. I was angry beyond belief – I couldn't take it anymore. It seemed like whatever excuse my dad could find to get me away from having a life he would use. I literally couldn't take it anymore – I needed Takeru right now, I needed him to be my friend, and I needed him to be something else in my life besides homework – I didn't want education to rule the rest of my existence.

"He's right Mr. Hida – Iori's completely fine with his classes, he practically knew everything before the teacher could get to it – I saw him write every next topic down in his notebook before the teacher said it. I'm sure he'll do fine in school, there's no need to worry." Takeru's voice was calm – he didn't let any of the frustration I knew he was feeling out in his voice, it was truly amazing. His whole body was calm – and unnoticeable to my father his hand lightly came to rest on the small of my back, giving me the support I needed.

"Please dad, just go – I'll be back before dinner I promise." I said with pleading clear in my voice.

"I – well – er – um – ugh! F-F-Fine, but be a second late and you'll never see the light of day until you can recite the Periodic Table of Elements in French… sign-language… backwards… with your eyes closed!" My dad stuttered. I just nodded and said a single word before my father turned to walk away mumbling annoyed.

"Thanks." As soon as the word escaped my mouth the door was shut and Takeru was already carrying me to the couch – Takeru had clearly been just as impatient as I was.

The second he set me down he took off my shirt and then undid the zipper on my pants and pulled them down. Both articles of clothing now were somewhere far away in the room – leaving me in just my boxers.

"Sorry – I thought I'd never get those off." Takeru said smiling sheepishly. I just chuckled and blushed slightly – I could feel the heat rush to my face.

"May I do the honors?" I asked casually though my insides were shaking with terror.

"Sure." He answered just as casual. I undid his shirt quickly and then his pants and slid them off slowly not believing what I was seeing – he truly was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen in my life. His body was amazing – his clothes did him no justice. When I met his eyes his grin was so blatant that I couldn't help but smile in return. Obviously he was happy I was highly impressed with his body – and I couldn't wait until I saw the last part of it – shielded by green-striped boxers that only covered from his waist till about half-way to his knees, I was impatiently studying them while he slowly made his way towards me to deliver to me one last kiss before I was completely naked.

He kissed me once more not letting his eyes see the revealed part of my body below him just after he removed my boxers – which were now resting tightly clenched in his hand which was by my head – and my face was never more red.

He chuckled quietly. "You're so cute when you blush…" He mumbled kissing my top of my cheeks as if to emphasize his point. But before he let his eyes spare a glance at my body – he leaned in close to my ear.

"Are you sure you want to do this? If you don't want to – tell me and I'll stop – no questions asked. If you don't feel ready or comfortable tell me, I don't want to rush you – and we have all the time in the world. Do you want to go any further?" He truly sounded completely honest. He sounded as if he would willingly stop and wait until I was ready if I asked him to – there wasn't a trace of falseness in his voice – and perhaps that's why he wouldn't look at my lower body, in fear he might not be able to control himself before he gave me an option to do this. He actually cared about my opinion? He actually cared about MY being ready? I was in true disbelief. I figured that when a boy was this close to having what he wanted – like how it usually was in the movies – that it'd be impossible to stop him without the possible use of a crowbar. Not only the stereotype of the movies, but the fact that someone cared for once about what I wanted threw me over the edge – I just couldn't believe it. I was so insanely content right now I could care less if he had just asked me if I wouldn't mind being run over by a truck.

"Yes Takeru, I'm ready, but if you don't want to rush it…" I trailed off looking away – my voice full of false concern and loaded with sarcasm. I at least hoped he wanted it as much as I did and got the message to my being facetious – at least at the end about rushing.

"No, I don't care about that – if it's fine with you then I'm more then ready to now. I mean if… that's okay with you." He said and it looked like he was practically shaking with impatience and anxiousness.

"You know – you'd better continue before your head explodes…" I winked at him and he nodded eagerly his smile never failing to appear, and he looked down at my body. His smile only widened and I could practically hear his naughty thoughts right now…

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**(Yamato's POV)**

I never had made such a selfish and stupid decision in my life. I had never been so dense as to accept an offering of something that could ruin my life completely. I had never made such a foolish or greedy choice… that is until now… Yet though it was all of those things – it was also the best decision I had ever made in my life – ever.

"Yamato… will you be my boyfriend?" Taichi had asked me from his place on the floor as if proposing to me to get married. I felt incredibly stupid as I stuttered out what sounded like a question of Taichi's sanity. Though after I swallowed and controlled my voice I had answered him simply in the only way my voice could manage without breaking – quiet and simple.

"Yes. Yes Taichi… I'll be your boyfriend." I said looking into his eyes – my lips turned into an excited smile, and soon enough my lips were covered by Taichi's lips – lips of which were also in an excited smile.

"YES! OHH BABY! YEAH!!" Taichi said jumping up and down – punching into the air with his fists. He sounded like he just won a soccer game – though this did make me laugh and made me feel ten times as happy as any other day in my life. I now had someone I could claim as my own… oh shit wait! I had _two_ someone's! I was going out with Miyako too! Of course Taichi didn't know so that's why he asked me to be his, but still this would never work! The only reason Miyako and I's relationship was a secret was not because of the reason I told her – it was because of a different reason completely. It wasn't because I didn't want the reporters to catch wind of it – it was because my brother Takeru liked her, and I didn't want him to find out I had stolen his girl. I guess I liked Miyako – but more of a friend, I should dump her – tonight. Before anything can progress further. It shouldn't be too hard – I mean we've been on what… 2 dates? And one of them was at a secluded beach – at midnight – where no one could see. So it should be easy and painless… at least that's what I hoped…

Taichi pulled me right out of the chair I was sitting in and hugged me happily – his full force of energy pouring from his actions as he was easily throwing me around in his arms while he celebrated cheerfully. It was only when we heard the distinct sound of someone clearing their throat obnoxiously did Taichi falter. He looked around at Bunmei who was grinning happily and evilly while my two other bandmates – Rihito and Nagaharu – stood watching me wide-eyed and with the ultimate look of confusion on their faces – Bunmei had a smug look that translated that he thought my friends were about to turn on me. I was practically trembling with fear and exhaustion. Fear – my bandmates were **not** gay, possibly even homophobic. Exhaustion – I was completely tired of this day getting worse and worse when I finally thought it was turning out for the best.

"I – I, um, gotta go – my parents are ex-expecting me home now… buh-buh-bye!" I was scrambling to get my coat and guitar when Nagaharu was suddenly in front of me – his face had calmed since a couple seconds ago and he seemed as composed as if nothing had happened – as if he just looked in the mirror. And it was true – my frantic expression calmed and my expression morphed into his – calm and quiet. I was waiting patiently for him to say something. Though his opinions weren't as important as say Taichi's or Bunmei's my best friends of my existence – his opinions were still always correct, so much so that they should be fact rather then an opinion. I waited to hear the verdict and his face turned pensive for a slight moment while reading my face – the room was absolutely quiet as everyone held still in this decision-making process. Nagaharu suddenly dropped his head and sighed.

"You do understand how vitally important it is that no news of your recent sexual orientation be exposed, correct?" Nagaharu was still avoiding my eyes – his were clenched tight. I nodded my head absently though I know he couldn't see it – but he somehow guessed what my answer was.

"And how critical it is that if it ever does get out that you don't reveal that you are… um… _paired_ with Taichi?" He said yet gave me no more time to answer.

"It is better if no one more then yourself is implicated – especially someone so close to you, the lies tabloids would tell would damage the band more then anything else – your name would be sullied to an extent unbelievable. Unfortunately that's what will happen – there won't be a way around it regrettably. So even though it could bring wrongness…" he took a deep breath then continued – as if he was forcing the words out.

"I wish you only the best with Taichi, I hope it will elate your senses, happy your life, and only lead to something much better. Please though, be careful, be cautious, other than that you… you have my blessing." He meant it of course in a figure of speech though it really did feel like a blessing. I heard gasps of two other people in the room.

"BUT! BUT –" Rihito stuttered. Nagaharu silenced him.

"Even if you don't see eye to eye with Yamato on this topic silence yourself before you make a mistake that will cost you what little you do see eye to eye with him with. The Winter Elephant Music Awards – does that ring a bell? You need him regardless if you don't approve – tell me if I'm wrong." Nagaharu challenged keeping his voice still calm and contained as if he was negotiating a business deal with a large company who was incompliant. Rihito sighed and gave in.

"Well I guess you're right, and well… I guess it really doesn't bother me that much – I mean at least you aren't one of those creepy people who like… likes old people, or children, or – or…" Rihito shuddered before he continued "or _dead_ people."

"Ugh in comparison to that I'm actually glad Yamato likes Taichi – at least he's _alive_." Rihito shuddered once again and shook his head in disbelief – probably trying to figure out why someone would like a person who's ceased to be living, I shuddered a little myself, that _was_ weird… I stopped that train of thought knowing it wouldn't lead to anywhere good. I turned my attention back to Bunmei – he was in shock, he was gaping, and his body was extremely tense and uncomfortable. What was wrong with him?

"How could you guys – just – just – _accept_ him? He's – he's a fag! He was all over Taichi like he was – was gonna – ugh I don't even want to think about that! It was revolting! Disgusting! BLECH!" Bunmei was practically freaking out in the chair he remained sitting in.

"Must I repeat my talk with Rihito? Do you not understand that we need Yamato? Besides, it's not disgusting – you just don't see it the same way he does. Why don't you like vanilla? It's your choice, and what you like, some people like vanilla but you don't – does that make it a bad flavor?" Nagaharu attacked him with analogy.

"That's not the same thing and you know it!" Bunmei sprang off the chair and leaped towards Nagaharu – he was now about an inch from Nagaharu's face, and Nagaharu didn't even flinch. He kept his expression calm and the only movement on his body was his single eyebrow that flew upwards in a crinkle of surprise. Nagaharu was pretty tall, and very burly – I wouldn't even dream of getting into a brawl with him, he'd flip me like a pancake! Rihito stepped in.

"Hey! Hey! Guys, there's no reason to get into a fight over this. Bunmei – I'm sorry but Nagaharu's right, you need to calm it down and be civil. You can't make a bigger deal of this then it was before. Besides – aren't you and Yamato best friends? Like I've never seen two closer people in my life. You can't get worked up over this – if anything we need you to be on good terms with Yamato now more then ever. The WEMA's are coming up, my hand is still healing – I should be able to play but if I don't then we need to still be strong. We can't fall apart now – at least not right before we just qualified for something that could boost our careers immensely. Don't let something small like this ruin everything." Rihito had one hand on Bunmei's chest and his injured hand resting in a cast on Nagaharu's chest. Bunmei looked down at Rihito's hand and to emphasize his point he scowled.

"Get your hand off me – don't tell me you're a fagot too! I getting out of here – fucking faggots…" He knocked Rihito's hand from his chest and turned to leave – and by this point I was speechless and trembling more then ever – like I had feared the worst happened. My best friend – besides Taichi – just declared I was a faggot and accused Rihito of being one, how could he say that about me? I thought… I thought we were friends… I _thought_…

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History repeats itself – everything happens once again in a similar course that has been done before… just like the great band The Beatles – love destroyed them too. That one girl managed to break them up… in our band Taichi was that girl, he was breaking up our band – however unintentionally…

I sighed and clung to Taichi as we walked home from Bunmei's house – we were clearly no longer welcome, and I wanted to leave before he could order me out, at least claim what was left of my dignity. The rain – which was slowly turning into sleet – pelted us ungratefully as we trudged home unhappily… I wished today could've been better, that people understood more clearly before assuming, that people could be much less prejudiced… what was the difference? That was always the question… difference is what people are afraid of – who isn't like me? An eternal question always asked – and the odd one out was always persecuted… everything comes back to difference – in skin color, gender, orientation, size, anything that could be seen as different was singled out and persecuted…

But now was not to grieve over what couldn't be changed – it'd always be like this, people were so stuck on what's different from them is wrong – that idea would be around as long as there's happiness, as long as there's people who have found joy in their difference there'd always be people who hated them for it – that was completely unchangeable and inevitable. So I stared forward unseeing of where we were headed yet hoped it was somewhere better until I brought to my senses.

Taichi kissed me on the sidewalk – in plain view… of everyone… and anyone… - I wanted to refuse knowing this was dangerous like Nagaharu said – one of the thing's he'd warned me about being careful about. But as much as I tried to find the courage to pull away from his lips I couldn't – I was trapped by my desire for his lips on mine for as long as my lungs would allow. When he pulled away he didn't let me speak he leaned in close and whispered into my ear lovingly, holding me close in his arms.

"Don't listen to that jerk… Bunmei doesn't know what he's talking about – in fact I bet he's just jealous I asked you first. He's so incredibly dense… I don't know how anyone could be angry at you for this – they shouldn't even had found out about it…" Taichi sighed but kissed my ear when he was done speaking. He didn't release his tight hold on me – he formed almost what felt like a safe alcove in the middle of the street – protecting me from anything. He let us stand in the rain – embraced – letting the coldness take over a numb sensation over our bodies – letting me be one with him, in the sleet, while even though the rain was blistering and whipping at a harsh degree, everything was deathly silent… and not even a single sound penetrated my ears while I was being held close to Taichi – the person who I've wanted for so long… finally – I had him… and I let the rain fall down and cleanse my conscience…

Before I slipped into total unconsciousness though, I heard the faint sound of someone calling my name… who was it? It sounded… sounded like Rihito…

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**(Miyako's POV)**

I chose the sport Patricia planned to participate in and I kept thinking of various ways to attack her – whether it be in the physical or mental sense… hey – I'm pretty tough for a girl…

Even though it was sleeting outside the coach said it was fine to play – he said it was good for us to be outside and experience whether once in a while – he said it'd help us to be close to nature or something… I didn't get it but I didn't care… I aimed my focus at Patricia ready to attack with whatever life presented us with.

We were playing volleyball – people were setting up the net and getting a ball – excellent. A few of the other girls I had recognized from the group before questioning what I was going to do with Patricia were on my team. I leaned in close to whisper to one of them – I was pretty sure her name was Ami.

"Hey Ami," She looked towards me excitedly.

"Yeah?" She whispered back – a small piece of ice hit her head at the exact moment she finished answering – she rubbed quickly at the spot it hit at and scowled. She turned around and I saw a girl with short curly brown-haired girl with magenta colored strands in random places scattered across her head chuckling. She was wearing the school uniform in a more – revealing sort of fashion. Her shorts were rolled until they resembled underwear, her shirt looked like it was a size too small – and there was a small gap of clothing between the bottom of her shirt and her shorts – honestly is it going to have to be my job to tell her she looks like a slut? Not for nothing but just her make-up was a little overdone – and I wasn't sure if she had room for another single piercing on her ear – there looked like there must have been seven earrings on one ear. I shook my head in disbelief.

"KANA! What's your problem? That really hurt!" Ami still held her head while she dipped down and picked up a shard of ice, which she threw at the other girl – Kana apparently.

The other girl dodged it and picked up another piece and got ready to throw it at Ami. This gave me an idea of how I could attack Patricia – she was so going to get it.

"Wait!" I called out before another piece of ice could be thrown. I ran over to Kana and whispered in her ear.

"Kana – tell everyone you know to get as much ice and snow as possible from the ground and then come back to me – you know that girl Patricia, that bitch over there playing volleyball with me? Yeah well I plan to full out attack her." Kana nodded and her grin turned evil in a second as she raced to other people. I turned back and went to Ami and told her to do the same. Let the games… begin… I waited for the volleyball game to commence and the coach blew the whistle – signaling the start then went over to coach the boy's football game – for that of course I was grateful. I pretended to be playing while I really had my focus on the few others on the other sidelines gathering all the ice and sleet they could find – hopefully it didn't melt before I could use it.

Soon a few people walked over to me with plenty of ice in their hands and I grinned evilly. I whispered to them to throw the ice at Patricia all at once right when she was about to hit the volleyball. I waited patiently.

5…4…3…2…

"NOW!" I shouted and they all flung the ice on command and then we all ran. Patricia was pelted all over by shards of ice – most of which were already melting. Just before we were all out of sight behind the locker rooms I looked back at Patricia and smiled triumphantly & smugly, and waved to her making sure she saw it was my doing before I hid with the rest of them. I then ran behind the small alcove that extended out of the locker rooms and celebrated with them.

"Oh my God! That was awesome! Miyako you're the coolest!" Ami bounced up and down all excited from what just happened. Kana was laughing happily – much more louder then I would've expected, and Patricia was far back on the volleyball field soaked in freezing-cold water and ice – the wind would make this outcome just that much better, that being because it would freeze Patricia over before she even knew what hit her – thank God for the wind! I couldn't contain my excitement either and after a second of chatting happily I chuckled and peaked out from behind the locker rooms. She was running around screaming trying to get the ice out of her hair – it only threw me into another fit of hysterical laughing. A few of the other people who helped laughed a long with me – too bad I didn't know their names, I wanted to thank them all for their help individually just because this was so perfect! Ah… what a fun day this was turning out to be.

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**(Koushiro's POV)**

Today was the most boring day ever and I was happy it was ending. Soon enough school would be over and I could go home and rest and forget about today. How I hated that nothing ever went my way… Most of it started after I called Hikari and Miyako lesbians about a month ago. They messed up my reputation and spread rumors about me so quickly I didn't even have time to think. And no one believed me of course – they said "Oh well then why is Hikari dating Takeru? Why is Miyako looking for a **boy**friend? Why do you even think they are?" Questions similar to all those were thrown at me constantly for the duration of a month and finally they were quieting down – now pretty much everyone settled for glaring at me, or flipping me off if they saw me in the halls – everyone was the same to me from that point on, always angry with me. All those people, except they were just the freshmen class everyone else didn't even care and that's why I fell in love with Jyou – he didn't care, he **liked** me… well as a friend at least… and none of what happened a month ago effected his decision in anyway – I was in true disbelief.

So I walked down the halls searching for my next class and let my mind wander aimlessly ignoring the glares I got from just about everyone who walked by. I thought it would wear out by a month – that they wouldn't care anymore – but no it only worsened, people I haven't' even met before wouldn't talk to me, wouldn't even say "go away" they just ignored me completely – as if they were programmed to only associate with certain people and no one else. It was getting boring with the only two friends I had left – Ken and Daisuke – and even they were slowly shying away from me. They didn't invite me over anymore… they called once in the last three weeks – and they were both on the phone at the same time unbelievably enough, and they only called because they had a question… about homework. Oh how I wanted to rip my hair out at the word – it was as if that was all I was good for – homework! Daisuke, Ken, and now Jyou – just needed me to copy their work from, I couldn't take it anymore… it was incredibly stupid.

I slumped down in my chair before the bell rang hoping to think about something that would help my situation, fix the problem, anything at all. I couldn't go on living like this while keeping my sanity at the same time – it just had to stop before I cracked.

It was only then – the second the bell rang – that I got an idea that would help what was going on… something that might just fix it… revenge. If I could take down Hikari then no one would like her anymore – if I could just humiliate her correctly and ruin her reputation like she did mine then people would forget about me completely and focus all their glares, and odd glances, and ignoring skills on her! They'd treat her like they did me and maybe I could possibly even rise to where she was… isn't that usually how it worked in a dictatorship? If you killed the ruler you could declare yourself one? I hoped it worked like that – then life would go much, much more smoothly for me.

But the question was now… how do I do it?

"Class today we're going to learn about polynomials and monomials – how to divide and multiply them. Please open your textbooks to page 244 and we'll get started." Just as all the pages started flipping simultaneously in the classroom something occurred to me just then – I had a plan – a way in – a way to take down Hikari… and it was foolproof…

"Hey – Koushiro?" A soft velvety voice called my name from the desk besides me.

"Yeah Jyou?" I asked my hands beginning to slowly shake with impatience – I was hoping maybe now Jyou noticed how much he liked me more then a friend.

"Can I borrow a pencil?" His face was so calm and serene and a small grin was on it while I stared at him like an idiot lost in his gaze… I quickly scrambled through my pockets noticing what I was doing and tried to find a pencil. I found one and handed it to him hastily.

Two more things just occurred to me at that moment. One was that I just completely forgot my plan to take down Hikari because all of that train of thought was lost when I looked into Jyou's eyes. The other was that I just gave Jyou my only pencil… damn…

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**(Iori's POV)**

Takeru ravished me on his couch, and he was truly amazing at it. He made everything seem so pleasant, so incredible and at one point I found myself moaning more times in a couple minutes then I ever have in a week. I was scared, at first – I'd heard it hurts a lot in the beginning but it didn't really with Takeru somehow he knew perfectly what he was doing… while I on the other hand had no idea how anything supposed to be at all… I'd never gotten this far, hell I'd ever really had gotten past kissing someone, I was really lost…

Takeru collapsed onto the side of the couch after he was finished entering me and I could've sworn I was frozen in place – I was just in awe of everything, I just didn't think things like this could happen to a person like me – but I tried not to dwell on that, right now I was happy, I was loved, and I hoped this wouldn't be the end of it.

Takeru was staring at me intently, studying my every move – though there weren't many due to my being frozen. He quietly though called me out of my iced state.

"Hey, Iori." Takeru said still panting. I turned my body towards him my face finally calm and tranquil, and Takeru seemed pleased with that.

"Yeah?" I asked in a weak voice, it broke as well. I hadn't yet gained back completely all my body functions yet – mainly the one function being my voice…

"Did you like it?' Takeru's voice seemed weak this time as well, he seemed almost nervous that I'd reject him and tell him it was horrible – as if.

"Yes! You were a-amazing… t-that was the best experience o-of my life!" After I said it I wished I hadn't… that seemed a little over enthusiastic when everything seemed more or less… quiet – I really hope no one heard me… that no one hopefully including my dad in the next house over…. My face flushed bright red I bit my lip hoping I didn't just mess things up…

He didn't say anything though; he just grinned happily and reached over to me. His hand trailed along the side of my face and I subconsciously leaned into his touch like I always did. I couldn't help but to feel him on me forever, he was so warm, so soft, and so wonderful – I spared another glance at his perfect body and when I compared it to mine his was like a god. I don't know what he saw in me… I could pass for an 11 year old! It was times like these that I cursed my parents for not being tall, I hate being so short…

He noticed the discontent on my face before I could cover it up with my previously calm and excited façade – I shouldn't be thinking about these things when I'm in the middle of being happy – stupid wondering brain…

"What's wrong?" Takeru looked concerned now – I could just imagine what he'd worry about if I made a strange face after what we did.

"Nothing really, but um…" I decided to tell the truth. "W-What do you see in me?" Takeru's face calmed and he began to smile – he looked like he was formulating some long list in his head to answer my question with.

"Iori – you're the most adorable person I've ever met, there's no doubt you're smart, you have so many qualities I wish I had, you can always be calm or patient when you need to, you also are like some kind of puzzle – the 3-D ones that are in such weird shapes that you can't figure out what it's supposed to be unless you look at the box, you seem so complex, so different… I don't know how to explain it…" He was cut off by the sound of my beeper once more and I wanted to throw it out the window at that moment – no smash it with a hammer and hope this was my dads last beeper so he couldn't sneak another one on me… why didn't he just get me a cell phone?

"Ugh, I-I'm sorry, my dad – he's – he's."

"It's okay Iori, you can call him – though I don't know why when he can just come over –" Takeru looked down for a moment and noticed we were both still naked.

"Oh wait no – I think it's better if you just call him, he, he." Takeru smiled sheepishly scratching the back of his neck. I smiled back and got up from the couch – and then noticed another problem… I had to make this phone call very quick and short because I needed a shower. My face flushed slightly at the reason why… I walked over to the phone and dialed my house number.

"Hello?" I said as my dad picked up.

"Yes Iori – I want you home soon, in about an hour or two. No later! It's almost 10 o clock." I gaped and looked at the clock on the wall – he was right. I was supposed to be home before dinnertime! Now according to my dad I was supposed to learn the periodic table in French sign language backwards with my eyes closed, but he was lifting that punishment? I didn't get it. My dad actually let me stay out till 10 o clock, and now he was saying I could stay another hour or two? This was unheard of.

"Wow dad, thanks, but… why the change of heart?"

"Well… I figured you're right; I make you study too much… you're fine in school I guess… but if I see so much as one point below 100 on one of your tests don't think I'll be this forgiving, or understanding. I also think I should let you have some fun for once, but please Iori be safe, be careful, and don't – _please don't_ – do anything stupid…" My dad paused and sighed.

"You're growing up Iori – it's time for you to have more responsibility and more – um, what do the teenagers call it? Brb's? No, ttyl's? No that's not it… well whatever scrambled abbreviation you kids have for it you want more freedom and time alone, and I accept that, just be careful – remember one hour, two at the latest – be home." I heard Takeru turn on the T.V., and then set it to mute – so it wouldn't interrupt my phone call.

"Thank you so much dad! I promise I'll be home before then, I love you!"

"Love you too son, see you soon."

"Bye!" The second I said it two arms were around my waist and a pair of lips were on my cheek.

"What'd your dad say?"

"He said I could have two more hours here! He said something about me wanting freedom and he'd try to give it to me."

"Oh that's cool." Takeru said – the eagerness and happiness clear in his voice. He paused and then continued in a different tone.

"Oh, and Iori?" Takeru said huskily.

"Yeah?" I said putting the phone down and swallowing.

"I think you need a shower… and so do I…" I liked where this was going so far.

"Yeah…" I said waiting for him to continue – I was already hard just at how seductive he was being right now.

"There's no need to waste so much water with two showers… so let's be a little ethical – I wash your back and you wash mine?" He grinned at me.

"Definitely." And with that he lifted me up into his arms and raced into the bathroom at a speed I didn't know he was capable of. Before I knew it the shower was on and he captured me in a kiss – I kissed him back passionately. When we broke away for air he asked me a question before he continued.

"Do you want to take a shower or take a bath? I don't care really, but there's both in here so, you're choice." Takeru said holding me patiently, waiting for me to make my decision.

"Hmm… I don't know, they're not much different… what would you rather do – I'm undecided." We looked at each other for one long moment and both knew what we wanted.

"Shower!" We both said at once, though the bath seemed more relaxing, we could move around more easily in a shower… I had a feeling that might work for Takeru's advantage…

We were in the shower in a flash and Takeru was already kissing me while his hand was moving somewhere below…

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Takeru carried me out of the bathroom in his arms – a towel wrapped around my body and my hair damp against my head. I was already definitely used to the carrying – I liked it, it made me feel safer, it made me feel like I was his… He kissed my lips tenderly before setting me down on the bed in his room. His room was a blue-green and his bed was so big it looked almost like a queen-sized bed, I couldn't truly tell – though I didn't care enough to try and find out.

Takeru was in a towel too – but that didn't last long. Once he set me down he took it off and dried his hair – I couldn't help but let my eyes wander slightly…

"So do you want to change back into your old clothes or do you want to borrow some of mine, it might be a little big on you but I do have something that might fit…" He trialed off looking in his drawers for the clothes he was mentioning. He found them before I could answer.

"Ah, here they are – theyre from like two years ago. I knew I had some stuff from a while ago. Here put these on for now." He brought the clothes over to me.

"Thanks." I said taking off the towel I was wearing. Takeru kissed me again before I could put anything on.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." Takeru whispered in my ear. I blushed and smiled slightly. I'd truly never thought this would happen to me – that someone wouldn't be able to contain themselves… from _me_. I kissed he back while he was still on top of me on the bed – it felt good to have his lips on mine.

Soon though I heard the sound of the television from the inside room which pierced through my ears – the news and weather was on and Takeru must have turned up the volume from mute before we got into the shower. And I heard perfectly clearly the voice of my attacker a year ago – remember the exact way his voice sounded I'll never forget it… the obnoxious voice was like acid in my ears and I froze solid once again.

"Ah!" I screamed with my hands covering my ears – breaking the kiss.

"What? What's going on! What's wrong?" Takeru asked me frantically.

"That person! The TV! My attacker! Last year! When I was hurt! Ah! Turn it off! Please!" Of course this was only one of my attackers, in total there were five at least. This person though I remember was the leader of the cult that attacked me. I never knew any of their names.

"What? I can barely hear that – oh wait I forgot you can hear really well… um I'll go shut it off – hold on Iori." Takeru ran into the other room and I heard his footsteps stop about halfway to the TV. Takeru gasped. He ran back to me.

"Iori you have to see this!" He brought me into the living room by the TV and turned the volume up.

"_This is just one of the people caught in the big scandal of drug-dealing at a high school south of Nishi Tsuchi High School – the one child we showed you there before was rumored to have orchestrated it – but his defense attorney claims there's no evidence against him that could prove Mr. Saburo Tsutomu was the true orchestrator or even involved. So far the attorney is correct – he wont be sent to juvenile hall – him being a few months shy of 18, but his parents will have to pay a fine to bail him out. Sources say his parents will be there before he arrives to bail him – hopefully their sons disheveled state will provoke them to try and make their son change his ways. This just sends a message to all parents to keep a close eye on their children – drugs at such a young age will damage a child's mind permanently, all should be informed of the affects of drugs. Let's show the clip again, watch Mr. Tsutomu closely."_

The clip played of my attacker – he was stoned and in handcuffs, his eyes were flickering on their own and he was all over the place – couldn't walk a single step without falling over.

"Yeah man! WHOO! I – I'd like to thank you for your co-cooperation. A-And I'd like to say anybody who wants some – c-come a-and get it! Th-that little punk I beat up last year, member him guys? Yeah well I'll do the same to anyone who crosses my path. I'll mess you up! A-And if that little punk wants revenge… I'm right here baby! I'll rip your arms off this time! Y-Yeah you too blondie with the camera!" He said pointing at the camera before being placed in the police car.

"C-Call me!" Shouted my attacker just before the door was slammed shut. He had his fingers against his face trying to make a phone shape with them but failing horribly.

I shuddered involuntarily while clinging to Takeru fiercely. An anti-drug commercial came on after the clip was finished. I had his voice ringing in my ears – one of the times I truly wanted to forget his voice it was thrown back in my life. My sensitive ears felt like they were literally being burned with the acid of his voice – as if cyanide was being poured into the very cells of my eardrums. I wanted to scream… this was the worst thing that could happen to me at this moment… I didn't – no I couldn't – be reminded of him, I hated to think about him… and now I knew more about him then ever… Saburo Tsutomu was my attacker, and it looked like he was eager to see me again – eager to rip my arms off…

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(A/N:) End of chapter 5! This is the end of the day pretty much – I didn't write it but you've got to figure since there's only two hours left that it's going to be tomorrow – oh and the days will go much faster then this… Oh yeah it was the 20th in the chapters before tomorrow (in the next chapter) it's the 21st (which is actually today – the day I'm posting this.) December 21st is the winter Solstice – so you'll see what that leads to. Well anyways for now… **REVIEW!!! **


	6. The Solstice

(A/N:) Yeah sorry I haven't updated in such a long time, I also haven't updated "Candlelight" either, sorry bout that…. I'm just beginning to get really lazy, I'm making my New Year's Resolution right now – and that is to write much more and not leave people on cliff hangers (I think that's a pretty good resolution), soooo read on my fellow fan-fictioners! (Hahaha! awesome made up name….)

(Oh yeah – **happy 2009**!)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own digimon, nope nope nope I don't! Sorry! If I did own it there'd be so much more drama… and a lot more couples – like in my story. (That's why it's "fan **fiction**")

**Warning:** Yaoi, boy & boy relationships, && some not so good language (possibly)

Now on with the story!

**_Empire_**

**Part VI:** The Solstice (Day)

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**(Iori's POV)**

I woke up in the middle of the night scared and frantic – my mind screaming at me like it was talking into a megaphone. I couldn't hear anything though I felt the vibrations of sound… or maybe I just felt vibrations… they weren't quick or rapid, they were slow moving small shakes almost – they were erupting from besides me. The next thing I noticed was that it was dark and I wasn't in Takeru's living room anymore – I didn't remember how I got here… wherever this was… I felt more vibrations coming from besides me and I was faintly aware of something heavy draped across my stomach. I almost screamed aloud when I found that it was an arm. I calmed myself though and gained enough courage to turn my head and find out its owner… the owner of the arm and the strange vibrations…

It was Takeru. My racing heart slowed, my wide eyes came back to normal size, and I let out a sigh. We were in a bed, and Takeru was sleeping next to me all cuddled up to my side. I could just make out his outline and his amazing blonde hair, which I marveled at – it was so bright in this dark room we were in. The next thing I noticed was another heavy thing was draped across my legs – one of Takeru's legs were on me keeping me in this perfect face-up position as if he was weighing me down because I was trying to escape.

"Takeru." I whispered over to him. He didn't respond he just kept in his dreaming state. I really didn't want to disturb him – he was so peaceful when he was like this, so calm, so serene, so beautiful – but I had to, there were many questions I needed answered one of them being just what the hell happened?! I don't remember anything after the news segment I saw on TV.

"Takeru!" I whispered louder. Takeru shifted and then snuggled closer to me holding me tightly. All of a sudden I felt his hand begin rubbing my chest in small circles, his hand had been up my shirt this whole time and I didn't notice. I stifled a groan; waking Takeru up was going to be hard…

"TAKERU!" I whispered the loudest whisper my voice could manage, and I felt him flutter awake. His eyes opened and his grip around me tightened instinctively. He looked at me and all the tenseness from his face drained away and his expression turned happy – he smiled pleasantly ignoring my confused and irritated expression.

"Hey sleepyhead, you have a nice nap?" Takeru yawned and moved his hand out from under my shirt to brush my cheek.

"What? What nap? What happened Takeru? Where am I?"

"Well you kind of passed out in my arms, I don't know whether it was because you were completely exhuasted or just plain sleepy but you had this weird expression on your face before you slept – like you were terrified or something. So I carried you home." The words took a second or two to sink in… I was… where?

"Wait a second, home? I'm in my house?" I asked confused.

"Yup! You're dad was all freaked when he saw I was carrying you – he thought something bad happened, but when I told him you just fell asleep and I carried you from my house he just thanked me. He asked me if I wanted to stay the night – so here I am. You're father's pretty nice, we talked for a while before I joined you here in bed, he was much different then yesterday at my house..."

"Y-You talked with my father?" Horror struck. What if he said something that offended Takeru? What if he said something that would embarrass me? What if he told Takeru to make sure I had my blankie and Freddie (my stuffed teddy bear) with me before he put me in bed? I practically exploded from embarrassment – mainly because I could always count on my father to do something like that! Well Takeru didn't look offended… he said he liked my father, and as for the embarrassment he either didn't care or my father miraculously didn't tell him because he was practically hugging me to death while we were sleeping…

"Yeah, he said make sure you have your teddy bear or something… and oh your blanket thing before you went to bed – I could only find the bear, sorry." Takeru looked truly apologetic – didn't he think the fact that I had a teddy bear and blanket was embarrassing? Something stupid that only children had? I flushed red with embarrassment and turned my head away from him – Takeru lifted my face by the chin with his fingers now forcing me to make eye contact with him – why didn't he just understand I looked away for a purpose?

"What's wrong? Why are you blushing – not that I don't think it's extremely cute, but…" Takeru searched my face for a moment.

"I-I… well… don't you think it's – that it's stupid for me to have – have a bear… and a-a blanket? Y-You probably think I'm a little kid…" Before I could continue his lips were on mine and his hand was holding the back of my head firmly. I got over the shock and kissed back after a second or two, and when the kiss ended I found myself gasping for breath.

"I wouldn't French kiss a little kid, Iori, so you're clearly not a child by any means. I think it's kind of… cute. And besides, bears are one of my favorite animals – this one definitely makes the list of worlds most amazing teddy bears." He said poking it on its fluffy stomach.

"Sorry I couldn't find your blanket." Takeru continued and kissed me once more on the lips. I was in complete awe – I didn't believe it… why was Takeru so nice to me? Why did he accept me so easily like this? I didn't get it… I would've figured a normal person would've laughed in my face – told all their friends and have them laugh along with him at me – why wasn't that happening? I sat up and he followed my example and also turned on the lamp on my night table.

"I can't believe you don't think that the fact that I have a blankie and a teddy bear is weird… but I wont challenge you on it – I'm not equipped to handle this at 3 in the morning." I said looking over at the night table where the clock read 3:12 p.m.

"Do you wanna go back to bed now?" Takeru asked me brushing the side of my cheek again with his hand. I found myself subconsciously leaning into his touch as I always did – it seemed so natural now, how Takeru always just lightly brushed my cheek.

"No, I'm tired but I don't think I can get back to sleep again if I wanted too – I'd just wake up again, but if you want to go back to sleep it's fine with me." I said while stretching.

"No, I'm not really tired – I'll stay up with you. What do you want to do?" He asked me brushing the side of my cheek once more which I was beginning to feel was becoming a habit for him now.

"I could think of a few things…" I said grinning evilly. Before Takeru could move I kissed him and put my arms around his neck in the process. I don't know how it happened but I ended up in Takeru's lap making out with him. Right then I noticed that… I wasn't wearing any pants… and then I remembered yesterday – when I was watching the news I hadn't yet put on Takeru's clothes… did he carry me here naked? I broke the intense kiss and looked down frantic.

I was wearing a shirt – Takeru's shirt – and a pair of my underwear; well at least I wasn't naked…

"What's wrong?" Takeru asked following my gaze to my body.

"How did I get your clothes on? What was I wearing before I came to my house yesterday?" I asked looking back at Takeru; he seemed relieved that that was the problem considering my expression probably made it look like a bomb went off somewhere.

"Oh well you were naked when you fell asleep last night – so I dressed you, it was kind of fun, being completely honest, though it wasn't easy… you were so lifeless that I had to hold you up the whole while and put everything on you at the same time, it was quite difficult – but it was interesting and fun nonetheless… you sure are a heavy sleeper. After that I brought you to your house and then took your – well actually _my_ – pants off you and put you in bed."

"Oh, you… dressed me? Okay well that makes sense – I actually was scared for a minute that you… that you um… um..."

"That I brought you out naked? Hardly! I think right about now **I'm** the only one who gets to see you naked – unless you're secretly a strip dancer and you haven't told me…" Takeru grinned.

"Yeah not a chance Takeru, I don't dance – and I don't even have my working papers so don't get your hopes up. Other then that I think… I think I fainted last night… like passed out – I wasn't asleep… or at least if I was I was totally knocked out as well…"

"Well then that explains a lot! You looked like you were dead! At one point I thought you were sick again from that food and needed to return to the hospital but you were breathing, and you weren't shaking like last time, and you seemed like you were fine…" Takeru looked away having a pensive expression and then looked back at me.

"You're fine now though, right?" Takeru said holding my face in his hands.

"Yeah, I'm fine… better then fine actually…" I said as I leaned my head closer to Takeru to kiss him again when all of a sudden his hands were off me and he got out of bed. I noticed as he was walking away that he was only in his boxers.

"Where are you going?" I said slightly hurt, he was looking at me lean in to kiss him wasn't he? Did he not want to kiss me back? Before I could go on with that train of thought – I heard a car door slam and became faintly away that it was still raining – or snowing from the sound of the pitter patter on the glass. I looked at Takeru and he was staring out the window.

"Oh sorry." Takeru mumbled as he walked back over to me on the bed and kissed me. I didn't have time to react before I was in his arms being carried over to the widow.

"Wait, what's going on? Where are you taking me?" I said looking around frantic. I didn't understand what he was doing.

"Well ever since last night when we saw that story on the news I've been checking every so often when any noise was made outside – just quick little checks – to make sure that that kid, Saburo, who was supposed to be bailed out wasn't going to do something stupid and try to come over here and hurt you. I just wanted you to be safe – but what's weird is see that car over there in my driveway? The one that just pulled in?" Takeru asked nodding towards the window. I was still in his arms so I shifted as much as I could to see the car he was referring to – I saw it and nodded.

"Yeah I see it, what about it? Is it your mom or dad?"

"Well it isn't my mom – that's not her car, plus my mom is away on a business trip in the United States, there's no way that's her at all. I don't know who it is, and whoever it is they're all wrapped up in thick clothing – I don't know who it could be… And well it can't be my dad because… my mom and dad… they're well… they're divorced my dad lives on the far side of town with my brother Yamato." I had heard that name somewhere… Yamato… Yamato…Ishida? That was the guy in that band that started at our school. Miyako was telling me about them while she was "forced" to come over my house once… she said that he had the hottest band around… that couldn't be the same Yamato could it?

"You're brother… he's not Yamato Ishida… is he?" I asked curiously, looking up at him from in his arms. He groaned loudly, while his face scrunched up as if he had tasted something horrible. He looked angry and annoyed… did I do that just by asking him a question?

"W-What? D-Did I say something wrong?" My voice was weak – I was really scared I offended him. He looked down at me and his face softened at once – and he was quick to respond.

"No, no, it's not that. It's just people always know me by my brother – and the people who don't know I'm his brother never even believe me when I tell them Yamato Ishida is my older sibling – it never works out for me, it's as if Yamato and I were never related, there's a rumor going around even that I just made that up and that Yamato doesn't even know who I am… I'm sick of being either tied with him like we're some group or called a liar for even claiming connection to him…" Takeru sighed then continued.

"Yeah Yamato's my older brother – he lives with my dad, like I said, and he visits a lot but recently he hasn't visited as much – he's always with his band…" Takeru sighed again and looked at me.

"Well at least I wont have to worry about you visiting – you're practically always visiting being that you live right next to my house." Takeru smiled and kissed me – what was meant to be a small kiss I turned into something passionate. The second Takeru was going to take his head away I leaned in further and pressed my tongue onto his lips trying to part them. When his lips opened up my tongue tangled with his and I was fisting his hair in my hands trying to bring him closer to me. I felt Takeru bring us over to the bed and he set me down on it breaking the kiss for just a moment.

"I should really try and see who that person is… but whatever I'm sure they'll call my cell phone if they were here for me… I think this is a tiny bit more important for me to have my focus on right now…" Takeru grinned and began to lift my – well really _his _– shirt off my body. He kissed my lips once more while his hands trailed along my stomach and chest before dipping lower and kissing my body. He started right below my neck making his way down, making sure he didn't miss a single spot on my skin, he veered off in his trail though and ended up catching one of my nipples in his mouth. I moaned loudly while he sucked on my skin, I could feel the smile on his face when he heard my involuntary sounds.

Takeru moved, kissing my body lower and lower until he reached my boxers…

**(A/N: Content Warning, ****explicit**** scene below)**

"One small piece of fabric is in my way... I think I can fix that." Takeru looked up at me and grinned. One of his hands slipped inside my underwear and he grabbed my erect member. It was the oddest sensation – yet one of the most pleasurable I had ever felt. My hands clenched the sheets around me – my body began moving in the motions of his hand, and all I could think was _faster… harder…faster! _I didn't want to say that thinking I would sound like an idiot but I couldn't help myself my body was telling me I wanted him rougher, so the words escaped my mouth before I could contain them.

"Faster Takeru, please, faster!" The words that came from my mouth just barely sounded like my own – my voice was morphed into something completely different, it sounded almost begging, pleading… something I'd rarely reverted to before – it all sounded so alien to me. Takeru used his other hand to rip off my underwear at that point and kissed me on the lips while continuing the hand job. I couldn't focus on the kiss at all – I felt a new kind of feeling, an alerting one, almost, that took up all of my attention… I couldn't tell what that feeling was until I remembered what this would lead to… I was going to come…

A phone rang at that very instant – what was with our timing now a days, someone always had to interrupt in the middle of something important…

"Just ignore it." Takeru whispered in my ear before his kissed it. I listened to him and completely ignored the ringing only focusing on the feel of his hand… it was the best feeling I had ever felt. His hands always had a way to make me completely paralyzed by their touch – whether it was brushing my cheek like how he'd now been becoming accustomed to or whether it was doing something… slightly more sensual, he always had a way to still me with his touch. I just loved the feel of his hand – there was nothing else like it.

Soon I came, and I noticed where all of the… products, if you will, of what happened were – it was splattered all over Takeru's hand and arm…uh-oh. My face flushed bright red – and Takeru grinned.

**(A/N: End of explicit scene)**

He leaned in and kissed my lips once more before heading over to his cell phone – I noticed just then that he cleaned the remnants off his hand and arm… by licking it… I decided now was not the time to debate whether that was weird or not, I was still new to this sort of thing anyway…

Takeru put the cell phone to his ear and I listened closely to see whom he was calling. It was probably the person who had just called who he was calling back – I wondered who that was.

"Hello? Did you call me?" Takeru asked into the phone. I didn't even have to strain to hear the person on the other side of the call – I could hear everything perfectly… this was where my hearing really came in handy…

"Yeah – are you at home, now? I'm outside your house and I was ringing the doorbell but no one answered."

"You do understand it's 3 in the morning, right?" Takeru asked walking over to the window. Whoever was calling Takeru was the person in the car outside his house now.

"_Yeah I know but I couldn't sleep because there's something important I have to tell you."_ Whoever the other person was sounded nervous and anxious.

"Well I'm sort of at a friend's house right now – well actually I'm at my next-door neighbors house – I'll come down and meet you if you want."

"_You don't sound tired at all. Were you awake before I called?" _

"Yeah, I… I was, but that's not important–"

"_Oh jeez Takeru! Tell me all about her! You never introduced me to your little "friend". How far did you get – no, correction – how far would she let you get? Is she hot? How big are her–"_ Takeru cut him off before he could finish the sentence. The person sounded lively and sprightly now – not a trace of anxiety that had been present in their voice before. Takeru looked over to me and his faced paled – then blushed. I bet he just realized I'd been hearing this whole conversation clearly.

"Uh-huh, Yamato – I um… I can't really talk about this now – I also um… have something important to tell you – I'll be down in a second." Wait a second! That was **Yamato** on the phone? No wonder he was so inquisitive in Takeru's actions. I smirked at him as he grabbed his shirt and pants off a chair by my desk and put them on.

"So are you going to tell him how far you got with me – or how hot I am?" I winked at him, grinning. Takeru blushed insanely – his face now red as a tomato.

"I-I, you know – um… Yamato can be… umm… you know what? Put some clothes on – I want you to meet him." Takeru cam over to my side and got the clothes I had been wearing off the ground and aided me in putting them back on. He was dressing me again – though I found it a nice gesture, it's where I had to step in – I wasn't a senior citizen who couldn't even bathe or chew food! I had strength too! Maybe not a lot of it, but it was enough to put clothes on!

"T-Takeru I got it! I'm fine. But why's your brother here so early – could anything be this horribly bad that he had to come in the middle of the night? You'd think someone died…"

"Well Yamato is always one to overreact… but I doubt it's that serious, I think he just needs to vent to someone… but I want you to meet him – he goes to our school but you'll barely ever see him. Mostly because he usually skips it so easily because of his "_band practices_"." Takeru snorted.

"You think he lies about going to band practice?" I asked as I pulled the pair of jeans up my body – Takeru zipped the fly and did the button for me, I was going to say something but instead I wanted to hear Takeru's theories for Yamato's absences.

"Well sometimes he doesn't… but sometimes I think he just hangs out with his friends and drinks and shit like that – he's not the responsible kind of guy, he'd drink if he's offered it, and I bet he's done drugs at least a few times in his life…" Takeru sighed and held a hand out to me. I finished putting on my shirt and took his hand while he helped me up off the bed; he kept holding it thereafter as we walked out of the room. We went down the stairs and to the front door and opened it hand in hand…

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**(Yamato's POV)**

Snow was still thick on the ground remaining there from the previous day – it recorded all the events of everyone here in this part of Japan, every step anyone's ever taken out on the earth had been recorded right here for anyone to see, it made my mind wander to a related topic. My life. My life was pretty much an open book for anyone who wanted to know about it. The magazines were always interested in the newest dirt to gossip about – and my band was becoming a grossly talked about topic, I didn't know why but I was sort of happy because of it – and also not happy at all. It had its advantages – publicity and such, and its disadvantages – when things were written badly about me. There hadn't been much bad written about me so far, but soon enough if my secret was discovered (that of my being with Taichi) things could go downhill very quickly.

I saw the lights shine through the windows on the bottom floor and the door soon dragged open, revealing my brother and another boy dressed in Takeru's clothes. Though I didn't see Takeru as often as I used to I still remembered what his clothes looked like – and those were definitely his. Then something just occurred to me like a slap in the face.

My brother and I had a lot more in common then I thought.

It was not a _she_ so much as it was a _he_. My brother was gay – like me – well at least that's what I thought this meant. The other boy was wearing Takeru's clothes, was up late with my brother, and was now holding hands with him – I didn't know how this could get anymore obvious unless they wrote a big banner that said "PSST! My boyfriend's standing next to me!" in big bold letters.

"Hey Takeru… and friend." I looked skeptically at the other boy. I needed to see if he was good enough for Takeru. He was at least a half a foot shorter then Takeru, and Takeru wasn't too tall to begin with… his hair was short and brown and formed almost a straight circle line across his head – not a single hair longer then the other. His green eyes were strikingly illuminant in the dark – they were really amazing compared anyone else's eyes I had ever seen, such a deep emerald color – it was odd. Iori seemed stern and alert, yet weak past his defensive barrier he set mentally outward. I picked all this up from just a couple seconds glance… of course after going through my own depressed stage of my life I tended to be more perceptive of the world around me – I usually notice these things about people more often because of it, the depression actually helped teach me to value life more and look at it more carefully – every detail.

"I'm Iori Hida, Takeru's next door neighbor." He extended his hand out to me for me to shake – I was contemplating not taking it, trying to prove that I was protective of my brother and that no one was good enough until they proved themselves to me – I wasn't going to be easy to win over. But the way Takeru watched Iori so lovingly, so intently made me decide otherwise, he seemed almost… in love… I didn't want to mess things up… at least not a lot…

"Yamato Ishida, Takeru's older brother, I live across town – I go to your school as well. Hey… aren't you Miyako's cousin?" I asked shaking his hand firmly. He looked hesitant for a second.

"Y-Yes, she's my cousin, you know her?" Oh yes now I could shake things up a little bit…

"Oh yeah Takeru's been crushing over her for –" I pretended like I didn't know the obviousness of Takeru and Iori's relationship – I was the older brother, I couldn't make things too easy for them could I? Takeru cut me off with a grunt, his face fierce and his eyes wide with horror and anger. He looked like he could lunge for my throat or scream in despair right about now – he seemed like he was contemplating both choices.

Iori seemed just as surprised as Takeru.

"Y-You… like Miyako…?" Iori asked turning around slowly to look at him.

"I-I, um, I did! But – but I don't like her now! I hear she likes James – so not me at all. I have no idea why Yamato would even say that – I mean it was practically a lifetime ago – like totally not now at all. I-I mean come on… Miyako? N-n-no, not at all." Takeru was extremely nervous practically falling apart in front of Iori. He was shivering – whether that be from the cold or from the nervousness of the situation. Iori looked away after Takeru finished his… babbling.

"Well, you don't like her now do you? Y-You don't right…?" Iori's voice was weak and he was still not looking in Takeru's eyes – his eyes were focused right below Takeru's chin.

"N-No! I'm over her, I promise. She's not interested in me anyways, and even if she were I wouldn't say yes because I have yo–" he stopped mid-sentence, noticing my presence.

"Because… you have…what? What do you have Takeru?" I was practically laughing but I wanted to keep my part as the oblivious older brother – so straight he won't even take in the blatant signs of a gay relationship happening in front of him. To be honest I didn't care, I actually preferred Takeru wasn't straight – now we'd have more in common then just our looks. I almost laughed out loud at Takeru's terrified expression, he looked like he was about to explode – he was already practically sobbing, I didn't want to push this further.

"Good going little brother." I winked at him while holding two thumbs up. I tried to clear up what happened before; I shouldn't ruin his relationships completely… should I? I was gonna go with a no for now. It was just so fun to mess with him though, oh so easy to manipulate. I had to let my former advice to Hikari about power reenter my mind and stop me from going too far – sometimes, complete control wasn't a good thing…

"Uhh…what?" Takeru looked confused.

"Well I approve - of Iori that is. Make sure you dump Hikari though… things can get pretty shaky when you cheat on someone…"

"Uh, t-thanks Yamato! I-I thought you'd not like me being – um never mind. Thank you – s-so much… I'll dump Hikari, don't worry, as soon as I can get her alone consider her dumped." He stuttered out. He seemed relieved though that I didn't hate him for liking Iori. Now that I thought about it Iori wasn't half-bad looking, he was good enough for my younger brother.

"Good, now… I have some stuff to tell you – your drama's aside – I have my own little drama I need some help with. I'd normally go to Taichi or Bunmei for advice except they're both… involved… so I need a third party. You guys'll work perfect! Okay so it's a long story so should we go inside?"

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"So Bunmei flipped out on you because you're gay? By the way since when aren't you straight? You're like the next teen sensation – don't you get girls whenever you want?" Takeru asked me as I shifted in my seat uncomfortably – we went into Iori's house and had sat down at their dinning table to discuss what I had to tell Takeru about.

"For the last time my band is NOT a "_teen-pop sensation_" or what's left of it…"

"Hey, hey, hey! I never said 'pop'! Just 'teen sensation'. There's a distinct difference ya know! Anyways – answer my question! How are you gay?" How was that a question? Did he even understand what he was asking me? Why was this so shocking to him anyway? I wasn't very subtle about everything, but then again not a lot of people noticed… Mimi for one – she asks me out any chance she gets!

"What do you mean? I doubt I have to explain it to you, unless your little friend over there isn't your little boyfriend." I sneered at him. A distinct red tint colored his face – that was all the confirmation I needed. "Plus why are you so in shock? Is there some dire reason I'm supposed to be straight?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Um, um, I-I… just what I meant was – no see I was just saying that well… you're um… so… _popular_… with the ladies." He said scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. His red color deepened as he noticed what he said implied I was some kind of slut – with all the 'ladies' at my school.

"Takeru… I never had sex – with a girl at least. And are you not _popular_ yourself with them? I'm sure Kari and you have gotten into each other's pants a couple times – it shows quite a lot so don't deny it – you guys are so touchy feely." I shuddered at the thought of someone touching my brother – though he was old enough (or at least the age where I started) fooling around, it still grosses me out to think of my brother as not a child anymore, things like this already have a instinctual gag-reflex in my body. His head could've won a ribbon at the county fair – passing as a tomato – cause, hell, it was sure red enough. He shook his head once – his eyes kept downcast.

"I didn't know it was so obvious…" He murmured more to himself than to me, and then continued. "Well where's Bunmei now? Has he said anything to you after what happened?" He said veering back to our original topic – this was probably an uncomfortable conversation (not just because he was having it with his brother but more because we were talking about his _old_ girlfriend with his _new_ boyfriend present).

"No he told Rihito after I left to tell me that he was extremely angry with me – that he never wanted to see my face again, etcetera, etcetera. Rihito also said… he cried?" I said it as more of a question because it just seemed so unreal. I could see being angry but… crying? Over something as trivial as my orientation? Crying? Really? C'mon build a bridge and _get over it_.

"Oh – wow – that's unlike Bunmei." Even Takeru noticed it.

"Bunmei? That's your… friend?" Iori spoke up then – emphasizing friend as if implying he was something more.

"Well best friend – not boyfriend. I have a boyfriend already. Oh and just so you know Takeru – since you don't like Miyako anymore – I thought I should tell you I've been dating her for the past like two weeks. But we're splitting up because obviously I have a boyfriend and I'm not promiscuous like that."

"Miyako?! Promiscuous?! Two weeks?! Boyfriend?! Who? What? Why?" Takeru flung out the questions as if they were all one question.

"Yes Miyako, and I'm breaking up with her because I have a boyfriend now – Taichi." I noticed I said that as if Taichi was a new toy I was flaunting about – I guess I was just really happy that Taichi was finally mine.

"But… promiscuous? You and Miyako went… that far…?"

"No we didn't have sex – but I think Miyako's been subtly trying to get me into bed – so I'm going to break up with her A.S.A.P. I mean, she's cute, but not cute enough for me to screw her when she's four years younger then me – I'm not some child pervert or something, I do have boundaries. But Miyako's been trying to tear down those boundaries pretty much ever since we started dating non-stop." I said while I noticed Takeru gape at me – Iori just sat, looking confused, next to him.

"SHE PUSHES TO HAVE SEX WITH YOU BUT SHE WONT EVEN GO OUT WITH ME?! WHAT IS THIS?! SOME KIND OF PRANK SHOW?!" His outburst made Iori and myself jump – he was clearly upset just from his expression, he didn't need to wake the neighborhood.

"Keep it quiet down there!" I heard someone (it sounded like an older man's voice) call from upstairs.

"Sorry Mr. Hida!" Takeru called back not loosing his irate expression. "How did this happen? This is so not fair!" Takeru just barely whispered, his anger making him extend to the extreme borders of his 'quiet' voice. Iori's face dropped and I knew exactly what he was thinking – that Miyako was a lot better then him and that's why Takeru was so angry, like he was _settling_ for Iori rather then _wanting_ him. I wanted to give him a hug it was so sad – mainly because I knew the feeling… oh what a troubled past I had…

"Ahem, Takeru." I nodded pointedly at Iori who looked like he was trying very hard not to cry. I felt like his pain was radiating off him – and another feeling – something that seemed like recognition. It was like he knew that something – no, that _this_ – was going to happen, realization. The want to smack Takeru for acting like such a testosterone-controlled man was very unnerving. Though Takeru was just angry because he felt he lost some kind of unspoken competition (which I knew all too well because _everything_ is a competition to Takeru) between him and me, Iori thought he didn't like him as much. Takeru soon noticed I was gesturing to Iori and he quickly turned all his attention to Iori like he was just punched in the side. This definitely stopped me from smacking him because what I said was right – Takeru cared for Iori immensely he just didn't like loosing.

"Iori what's wrong?!" Takeru exclaimed hugging him quickly, rubbing his back soothingly. Iori angrily untangled himself from my idiot brother – tears in his eyes.

"What do you think is wrong?!" He said angrily, trembling. He seemed like he could burst out in tears completely any second – hopefully Takeru would be smart enough to correct himself before he makes it seem like he's a total dipshit. Iori doesn't want to be thought worthless compared to someone else when he's your boyfriend! Especially – if not mainly the reason – if it's his _cousin_! Ugh, stupid. He never we too good at handling these situations… here comes big-brother Yamato to the rescue…

"Iori, he didn't mean it like that. He's just to dense to realize that he made it sound like he likes Miyako more then you. He doesn't – he just feels like it was some sort of competition for her – Takeru's competitive if you haven't already noticed – so Takeru, stop being such a dipshit and apologize." I groaned. It was so easy to fix problems like this but for Takeru every small problem is as if Titanic was sinking.

"Oh! Geez! No it's like Yamato said – I like you so much more, you have no idea! I'm _sooooooorrryyyy_! Please forgive me?" Takeru asked putting his hands firm on Iori's shoulder – looking as if he was just sad as Iori. Iori sniffed loudly and nodded slightly. Takeru obviously wanted to reassure him – with something I didn't particularly want to see, cue the gag-reflex – Takeru kissed Iori for a long moment and then moved Iori into his lap effortlessly and wrapped his arms around his stomach. I honestly thought it would've been cute if it weren't my brother. Iori just seemed to lean back into Takeru contentedly as if nothing happened – maybe Iori like Takeru that much that he'd forgive him without saying a single word, quickly getting over the problem and get into his boyfriends arms again – I didn't want to dwell on it though, because the more I did the more it felt like I was going to need a toilet to puke in.

"Well besides that – yeah Rihito met up with me after I left to give me my guitar and songbook which I left at Bunmei's house and told me what Bunmei had said… and done. And he also said Nagaharu is very disappointed with this whole mess – he's not even going to school tomorrow because he's practicing on his drums to make sure he's good enough for the WEMA's." I said as I watched Takeru casually lay his cheek against Iori's as if it was second nature – his arms wrapped around him protectively while Iori's body seemed to fit perfectly encompassed inside the shape Takeru's body.

"Wow… dramatic – to say the least – I'll be watching you on TV, 'kay bro?" He said referring to the WEMA's, which were put on TV every year. Wow, way to add the pressure on me, thanks bro!

"Oh gee thanks." I sighed before I continued, "You know you could just go and see me at the Award building while it's happening rather then sit at home all day watching television."

"Yeah well I don't know if Iori's dad'll let Iori go with me to a place like that – it's too… what's the word? Distracting – possibly? I don't know, but his dad's strict and if he can't go I'm not." He said snuggling up more to Iori to emphasize his point. Iori blushed at the show of affection – I just smiled at him, I was happy for him and my brother no matter how much it made me gag – they seemed so perfect for each other. I nodded at what he said and sighed – eh well less pressure I guess if my brother's not watching me in the crowd – I'll never see him so I could pretend he didn't even know I was doing the WEMA's. I always found playing in front of large crowds easier if you pretended you were home alone playing to yourself.

Something just occurred to me just then – a lot of things were going to happen in succession – The solstice, which was today, my last few band practices (if my band would finally stop falling apart by the second), Christmas eve & Christmas Day, the WEMA's, and then the wedding right on New Years eve!. Yes the wedding only added to my list of stuff I had to do. I had so much to do in such little time. I need to get my band together by Christmas presents and a wedding present, practice my vocals and guitar as much as possible, and finish my report due which I just recognized is due the day before Christmas (which was two days from now, and it had to be at least 8 pages long, college-level stuff which counted as a mid-term grade – curse my being in an advanced class).

"Okay well I have to go – school's going to start soon and I want to try to write some of my essay before I have to go. See ya bro, and bro's boyfriend." I winked at them on the chair and headed out with Takeru only murmuring a "bye" and a small wave at my exit. I could see he was obviously more preoccupied with something more important then my petty problems right now…

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**(Miyako's POV)**

_To: Miyako_

_From: Yamato_

_Sorry but there's someone else… I wish I could do this in person but I don't have enough time, I'm truly undeniably sorry… I hear though, that James likes you – I heard it from Taichi who heard it from Kari, she was going to tell you today but I beat her to it _;-) _Sorry again, but if you think about it we never really had much going in the first place, you should get together with James I'm sure you guys'll have good chemistry! _

_Bye!_

Yamato left me a note taped to the inside of my locker – he knew the combination to it because I gave it to him when we were going out, now it apparently was a _were_ and not a _currently_ – I sighed, he was right. I thought though that if we could've gone further in our relationship he'd never want to leave – now I notice though that I probably look like a little kid to him, my being a freshman and him being a senior… that's why he wouldn't let us go public… so I guess I couldn't really be that mad or upset about it, I sort of saw it coming…

I walked away with my books to in my hands going over to Hikari's locker how I do every morning (to give Koushiro his due it did kind of look from the outside that we were going out because we did everything together – but we were just really close friends, I had my eyes on James and I had to admit that I was happy, despite Yamato and mine's break-up, that he liked me back) and getting prepared, like Yamato said, to hear that James liked me, I'd have to fake being surprised because Hikari often got mad when someone told her gossip first – she was sort of queenly like that, though her brother applied to a special quota she set up in her head, he was her only exception on anything.

Life was getting to be a drag because I was starting to feel as if I wasn't as important as Kari – she always seemed to make me do things for her, like meet her at her locker for instance (she refused to walk all the way to mine), and I was getting sick of it – I felt more like Kari's henchman, well hench-_woman_, rather then her friend. That wasn't how friendship worked… right? Right. Because it's not that way with my other friends! I know this for sure! I never make them do stuff for me – I ask them too do some things occasionally, but I never demand it like Hikari does. It's like she's ruling us or something… maybe… maybe she is…?

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**(Daisuke's POV)**

Soon all would be complete… with my plan falling into place – more then one plan actually. I was determined to make sure I pranked Ken today with this Jalapeno pepper in a way he never suspected – I'd catch him by surprise for sure! My plan for the pepper was to cleverly slice it up into little grains and then put it in his water while I got Koushiro to distract him. I'd also place another pepper in his sandwich – he would have no place to hide today – his water would only make it worse! Oh how I loved pranks! Oh wow here he comes!

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**(Takeru's POV)**

I had noticed that, though I loved and valued every second I had with Iori, I was shirking my responsibilities. My friends and I were determined to take down an empire and I wasted a day having fun with my boyfriend – I'd have to keep more on track. We were heading to our lunch table now – Iori and me – after standing online to get food. I had also noticed that in two days it was Christmas, and I hadn't done my shopping – though I was thankful that we got off school, not just for Christmas but a whole vacation that went into January! I'd definitely take that time to scheme and come up with the perfect way to take down this empire at our school using the help I had gotten from my disguised acquaintance – plus I'd have more time to shirk my responsibilities because I had so much time over the vacation, which means… more time to have Iori to myself! Yeay!

We sat down at our usual lunch table and began to eat when we heard an odd shriek; it only took me a moment to notice Iori had already been looking at the person who shrieked – before he did. Iori had his eyes focused yet distracted – as if he was thinking about something really hard but wasn't paying attention to anything else around him. I noticed Ken was the one who cried out. What was with Iori and this Ken kid? Why were they constantly so in-tune with each other? How did they seem to know what was going on with each other before it happened, like now, and like when Iori got sick and Ken… sniffed him. This wasn't making much sense to me but I didn't know if I should ask just yet – I don't want to jump to conclusions, this could just be coincidence.

We went back to eating quietly as I noticed the sunlight shooting through the windows just started to get dimmer and dimmer every hour… it was as if the sun was setting already… oh wait that would make sense… today was the winter solstice… so that meant that today was the shortest day of the year, well that means I'll get just that much more sleep tonight! I smiled in a happy thought – I was really tired from staying up with Iori so early in the morning, I lied when I said I wouldn't go back to sleep after I got up like Iori said he wouldn't, I'm a heavy sleeper. I was surprised Iori could wake me up without hitting me with a bat much less just call my name. I looked downward at the odd cafeteria food – Iori's past experience with it made me less reluctant to eat it – so I mostly just nudged it around with my fork.

Soon lunch was over and Hikari had been talking away animatedly to Miyako the whole period about James and ignoring me (which I was thankful for), completely unintentionally. I got mine and Iori's books, which I'd been doing out of habit, and went to our next class…

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(A/N:) Woo! I thought I'd never finish this chapter! More to come hopefully, I've been getting so much stupid homework that I barely have time to write anymore, my stupid professors are plotting against me I know it (man, it probably sounds like I'm so paranoid, especially with this fic I'm writing, don't worry people I'm sane). Well REVIEWW!!!! Thanks!


	7. The Melee Part I

(A/N:) YEAY! Next chappy's up! Hmm… this chapter's definitely a complex chapter – so try to keep up! I need more reviews! Please review! I don't mind constructive criticism, but no flaming! Thanks! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own digimon, sorry if you expected I did, I feel bad to have disappointed you… sorry, you can't sue me – not today! ^___^ !!!

**Warning:** Yaoi, boy & boy relationships, && **lots of cursing in this chapter!!!*** (beware)**

Now on with the story!

**_Empire_**

**Part VII:** The Melee I (Solstice Night)

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**(Iori's POV)**

The whole day had passed very quickly – not just because it was the shortest day of the year, but because everything seemed to flow relatively smoothly for once… everything just all seemed calm, no drama, no calamity, no near-death experiences… not any so far and school was almost over – only one period left… I walked into my next class with Takeru – it was an elective (out of the two I was taking) which I mandatorily had to choose – after memorizing Takeru's schedule after our first day here I made sure to sign up for the electives he chose – they were drawing and digital photography. When I asked Takeru why he chose these electives he said because he used to be friends with Daisuke who chose the drawing elective and he chose digital photography because he likes electronics and stuff like that and this was the only elective that was close to it. The elective I had now was drawing – and Takeru wore an unfamiliar grimace… I guess him and Daisuke didn't get off on such good terms…

"Hello class – today we have a new student – Iori, please introduce yourself to our class." Wow, this was the first class that was actually going to humiliate me with the whole "introduction" thing, I was praying the teachers would just forget about these things…

"Well she pretty much covered it I'm Iori, bye!" I was about half way down the row when the teacher stopped me.

"Ahem! Iori, when I said 'introduce yourself' I meant more then just your name. Why don't you tell us why you chose this elective, hmm?" Her hair was brick red with curly tangles that reached down past her shoulder, she had one clip on the top of her head in the shape of a blue butterfly, and there were glasses on a chain around her neck. Her clothes were prim and proper, tucked in all the right places and you probably couldn't find a single fiber in her knee-length brown skirt out of place – the only thing alien to the uniform was the first two buttons were undone on her tucked-in white blouse that stopped halfway to her elbows. I sighed and trudged back up to the front of the classroom – Takeru just sat and watched in despair, there wasn't much he could do, and if there was I knew he would've tried by now. Ever since this morning he's been trying to make my dad amazing for me, honestly, it's been getting slightly annoying – I'm not one for constant attention.

"Hello… I'm Iori Hida, I chose this elective because –" I had to lie, I couldn't say the real reason, which was because my boyfriend was taking this course… "I really like… art… pieces?" I said it as more of a question because there wasn't really a reason for liking to draw, drawing was skill that either came naturally or was worked hard at, either way none of those applied to me – I was suck-ish at drawing and if I lied about how good I was it would clearly show. Liking a topic can't be proven false.

"Oh, darling, that's what this whole course is about! The love of culture, the love of artistic view, of art in all different styles and forms! Here we will learn about Japanese styles, even current ones like manga – I know plenty of you must be interested in this fad, and I figured I should work it into the curriculum! We will also be doing styles from around the world; some of them will be on your final! Things like prints from Africa, cubism from Europe, cartoons from America! Oh the many different ways you can paint a picture! But mostly in this class we will focus on our own history, it may even help for your global history class – though I do believe some of you are still on the America Chapters, hmm well it doesn't matter! We must all know how everything comes together in the end no matter what it is! Whether it's our history, or someone else's it can all relate back to any country including Japan! Now please tell me children…. What is the capital of Japan?" This teacher looked so uptight but she was so…. young and perky…. I didn't believe it. She gestured for me to sit down and I did – eagerly – yet I was wondering why she asked such an obvious question. Who didn't know the capital of Japan? It's not like we were some unknown country off the coast of Asia – we were really important!

"Tokyo is our capital!" Daisuke piped up, waving his hand in the air madly and obnoxiously, like he was ushering a plane for landing. He sounded like he was so extremely proud of himself too… was this some kind of slow class?

"Very good Daisuke, but I wasn't meaning for you to answer… it's on the chalkboard in big, bold letters. It was rhetorical – anywho, I bring up Tokyo because there are some quite amazing sights to see there. We will be drawing scenes from Tokyo! Isn't that fantast-imazing?" Fanatast…imazing? Okay I was sure it was a slow class now. I nudged Takeru.

"Since when were teachers allowed to be drunk while teaching?" I whispered sarcastically into Takeru's ear while the teacher was grabbing a whole lot of pictures from her desk.

"Now… some of you….ugh! Will be… ah! HEY! GET BACK HERE! Ah! Okay, gotcha! Some of you will be – ah! – going on a field trip to Tokyo, if you are in our digital photography class – and will be taking some more pictures for our class to draw! Grrr! So those of you who are – you little runt – make sure you take good…" She was trying to catch all the papers fluttering around the air by her desk – the ceiling fan was on for some unknown reason to me – considering it was practically winter – and the second she took the paper weight off the photographs they started flying around the room. Her attempts to catch them were quite amusing – hence the whole class laughing in unison. I decided to be the bright light in the darkness for this class and do something productive.

I got up and turned the fan off.

The papers fluttered slowly back to the desk and the class all looking in accord at me – as if robotically – with accusing looks. I just noticed something… maybe they all wanted to skip some of the class time being entertained – this wasn't so much as a problem to the students as it was a joke – one of them might've turned it on, on purpose… uh-oh. I was the killjoy, teachers pet who actually did something nice to further the class… this couldn't end well…

"Oh thank you Iori! You've been here five minutes and your already such a big help! Okay well now that that's over why don't you pass all the photo's out – make sure everyone gets one, please? Whew!" The teacher exclaimed slumping on her chair and sighing. Every one of the students glared at me while I submissively placed a single photograph on their desk – Takeru just pinched the bridge between his eyes and sighed. I really disappointed him – damn it! Damn it all to hell…

I growled slightly under my breath as I returned to my seat after giving everyone a paper. Could this day get any worse?

"Now class this will count as your pop quiz! I was afraid I'd never be able to get it to you in time with the fan and all but thanks to Iori we can fit it in! You guys could all learn something from him." The teacher beamed at me happily.

Oh.

My.

God.

I was going to be killed. No I was going to be tortured so long that I would wish I were killed. Everyone glared at me ferociously – oh hot damn. The only thing worse then helping a teacher out to stop the class from wasting time was to help a teacher out and get rewarded with a test the class may have had a chance to avoid. But… it was just drawing… wasn't it? It couldn't be that hard… it's not like they had to remember anything, all that they needed was there in front of them… right?

"Okay so kids, I want you to draw your scene and make sure it includes shadowing, realistic qualities, an artistic perspective of a three-dimensional view, and after it is drawn you will color it with paints or pastels and you may only use the techniques "Wash" or "Impasto" which we covered in our last two chapters. If you picture also contains a sky or any blank space or area you will cover it with a unique design that you think will foreshadow the African Prints section we will go over in the future, you have fifteen minutes, go!" She tapped a small service bell at the front of her desk while she laid back lazily in her chair. I swear I wanted to die right now. I kept my eyes down at my paper while everyone's glares burned into my head like twin drills boring nonstop on my fragile line of sanity. I felt like I couldn't breathe, like all the air was being pushed out of my lungs before I could get any back in them, I felt dizzy and light headed and my head began to throb. I couldn't take all the attention and the quiet sounds of teeth grinding, and the absent sounds of anyone's eyes blinking (which meant they were non-stop glaring at me) made me extremely hesitant to make a single move from the position I was in.

Takeru nudged me with his elbow carefully. I slowly dared to look up at him, and only risked it because I knew – or at least I thought I knew – he'd never betray me. He was just smiling happily and leaning in close to my ear and whispered:

"Don't worry about them – half of them will forget you by tomorrow, and a few of them aren't even in this class, they're just skipping their own classes to be with their friends here, just ignore them and do your best on your picture – we get a good amount of pop quizzes and I know your dad would be unhappy if I let you fail any of them." I heard him pause for a second and I guessed he was looking around before he leaned in closer and kissed me by my ear tenderly. He returned back to his drawing while he left me blushing and trembling in my chair – he could always find a way to make me blush. I tried to calm myself but all I could think about was Takeru. I continued to draw anyway – he was right – my dad wouldn't tolerate anything less than perfect.

My picture was of a sign in Japanese that read "Kido's Rice Bowl" and it looked like a really fancy restaurant, it was quiet large and the neon sign look amazing illuminant and through the clear windows the inside looked amazing! So fancy, so eloquent, so…. _expensive_. I thought for a second, just one, how cool it would've been to go there with Takeru for a date but… I didn't have that kind of money… I sighed and continued to draw it anyway.

"Alright class pass up your drawings and we'll get onto teaching today's topic 'A Birdseye View'! Doesn't that sound interesting? We'll be learning about how to draw things from above, like buildings, and trees, and streets, all of that fun stuff!" The teacher said as the clock showed fifteen minutes had passed, though it only felt like a few. My drawing came out really good… but there was only one problem, as I inspected it closely… inside the shop in my drawing was… Takeru and me sitting at the table closest to the window looking at each other lovingly. Oh crap. Before I could even erase a single line of our faces the kid in front of me snatched it up and passed it on (along with his drawing) to the kid in front of him.

Oh damn. Why, oh why couldn't I have just drawn what I saw instead of what I wanted to see? What if the teacher noticed? What if someone else noticed? What the hell was I going to do? Two teenage boys would be sitting together at an exclusive two-person table eating food and staring at each other intently… and in that kind of expensive restaurant? Yeah that didn't flow well at all for either of our reputations.

"Hey wait I need to change something!" I said before it got to the front of the row.

"Hub, Hub, Pup!" The teacher made three weird sounds making everything come to a halt. "There's no redoing things after the times up – it's a quiz! It's not like it's that important. Now please continue passing it all up, please." The teacher said waiting at the head of my row for our drawings.

"Wait! I need to write my name on it!" I lied, but I needed to use anything as an excuse to get my paper back and erase it.

"Oh don't worry I'll write your name on it – here we go! All the drawings! Thank you Daisuke!" She smiled at him in the first row for giving the papers to her happily.

I went frantic back to my scared, trembling disposition. I tapped Takeru subtly on his leg. Thankfully since the desks held two people, (and obviously Takeru sat next to me at the one table/desk) no one could see any of our silent exchanges. Daisuke sat next to some red-haired kid who chuckled as Daisuke whispered something in his ear – I went to mirror the movement as Takeru looked expectantly and questioningly at me.

"I accidently drew you and me inside the fancy restaurant in my drawing! It looks like we're dating! I drew it on accident – I was daydreaming through the middle of it – I'm sorry, please don't be mad!" I whispered frantic and nervous. I was so afraid someone would find out our secret – did he know how they'd react? Takeru had status here! He was popular! His reputation could be damaged permanently! The most popular guy freshman in the school… gay? Yeah that wouldn't go well with the student body… I had to get that paper back and erase Takeru and me or at least draw Takeru differently – it wouldn't be weird if I made him a girl, then he wouldn't be involved and it wouldn't be a problem…

"Huh? Seriously? Aw that's sweet." He said patting me on my back lightly – I knew he would've kissed me again except people weren't focused on anything particular now and could probably see him randomly kissing me. But I understood the gesture. Wait… did he understand what I just said? I drew him and me having a date at a fancy place. Did he not understand the severity of that if someone saw?!

"Takeru!" I whispered loudly. "Don't you see the big problem in this?" I said with my fingers digging into his arm – quite strongly too – but he didn't seem to notice at all my death grip I was unleashing on him unintentionally… geez I was weak. He turned to me and whispered.

"Calm down, everything's fine, I'm a representative of the student class, I can just go into the art office after school and change it – no biggie – I do it all the time whenever I screw up, you don't know how many times I have. Though I do really like the fact you were thinking about me." He purred – and this time kissed me quick on the cheek again – no one, thankfully, saw. There was practically no light outside – the sun was close to setting and it wasn't even 3:00 yet. It didn't register in my mind what that meant until I noticed it was still the winter solstice – the day had seemed over and long gone already that I forgot I was still living it.

No matter how I thought about it I didn't know how Takeru planned to get it back really – it was probably going to be locked up in a desk in some other room or office somewhere unknown to us, and hey this school is big enough to be confusing like that. I just shook my head and waited for the day to end…

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**(Hikari's POV)**

I was walking to my locker after the last bell rang – signaling school to end (finally) – and I noticed a large tuft of golden hair swiftly disappear into the boy's bathroom. Just out of normal curiosity I took out my make-up compact and flipped it open – with my locker being perfectly diagonal to the boy's bathroom I could see through it I get a clear view. I was purely curious of who else had such brilliant blonde hair besides my boyfriend and I peered at the mirror. I wanted it to be discreet so people wouldn't think I'm some kind of perv – curiosity wasn't something much easily proven. I looked in it and noticed that it **was** Takeru, he was standing in the corner though moving oddly – jiggling, almost – he looked like he was hugging something in a rocking sway of motion. I couldn't see what he was hugging but it seemed large… a thought entered my head…

"Naw." I said shaking my head putting away my make-up compact. He couldn't be cheating on me – that was a boys bathroom – he wouldn't drag a girl in there and cheat on me – he was in the broad daylight of the bathroom, anyone could walk in on him, and he couldn't… couldn't be gay… could he? "Naw" I repeated again putting a few books in my backpack. Takeru wouldn't dare cheat on me… and _especially_ not with a boy. He'd be ruining his reputation if anyone found out, he wouldn't dare risk something like that… he was probably just taking a kiss – I mean piss – in the bathroom, yeah – yeah a _piss_. I don't know why I thought "kiss", silly me! I'm not suspicious, nor am I jealous! I shook my head – this was insane and stupid – this was how good relationships ended! I couldn't be doubtful towards Takeru… oh wait yeah I could – but he couldn't. I could do whatever the fuck I want! Takeru can't though – he's just my boyfriend, he's not in the same position I am. I could leave him tomorrow if I wanted to and it wouldn't matter! But he couldn't, he just wasn't allowed.

I was almost done and I was waiting patiently for Miyako to meet me at my locker like how she did everyday. But… she never came… I stood there patiently, checking my phone for messages or calls on Miyako's whereabouts, but there were none… I stood there five more minutes before I decided to call her.

"Hi, you've reached Miyako Inoue. If you're a nerd, geek, dork, are ugly or are in the school marching band then expect that this is the reason that I'm not picking up when you called me and why you got my voicemail. Translation: don't call me anymore. If you don't qualify for any of those and are a hot guy you probably just called me when my phone was off – I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible. Please leave me a message – love ya!" Miyako's voicemail rang cockily in my ear. Someone was obviously getting full of themselves – I thought grinning and shaking my head waiting for the beep.

_Beep._

"Yeah, Miyako, where are you? I've been waiting here for like five whole minutes! You can't expect me to wait much longer if you want to walk home with me. Text me, bitch." I said back into the phone irritated. I never used the word 'bitch' maliciously – at least with Miyako – she knew I was just kidding, but right now I was too annoyed and bored to care what she thought.

"Where are you, Miya?" I muttered as I paced around my locker.

"Ya know what? I ain't waiting for you! Bye!" I said more to myself considering Miyako was nowhere to be found…

I walked away from my locker and out of the school after walking through several long hallways continually muttering to myself about how annoying Miayko could be sometimes…

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**(Koushiro's POV)**

I couldn't stand it anymore! Nope! Nu-uh! Nada! I couldn't wait this out; Jyou was never going to ask me out! I could wait another hundred years but he'd probably never ask me… I'd have to do this myself.

"JYOU WILL YOU PLEASE GO OUT WITH ME?" It escaped my mouth before I could register what was I was saying. Holy geez… I knew this couldn't end very well… I mean was he even gay? Or bi?

There was silence for a second and then Jyou had a weird face. It suddenly turned to a smile.

"Sure, how about I give you my number and we'll make plans later, 'kay?" He asked walking over to me. I just nodded dumbly. My whole body was stiff and in shock. I couldn't speak – if I did I knew my voice would break.

He wrote his number in pen down on my hand, and then handed his pen to me for me to write my number on his hand. I copied his action and wrote my number. It was astounding that my brain could still function properly with all the shock I was in. I didn't believe it… Jyou… he said… yes?!

"Jesus…" I breathed as Jyou smiled and waved a hand in front of my face. He smiled again and rolled his eyes and walked away. Giving once last wave he turned a corner in the hallway and was out of sight. Just then the bell rang and a flood of students entered the halls. I had run into Jyou in the halls… and no one was even around to witness it… a junior going out with a freshman! A perfect blue-haired junior _god_ going out with ME! I walked to my locker in a daze, a smile lighting up my face – a spring in my step – and my heart pounding harder in my chest then I even imagined.

I sighed contentedly as I reached my locker entering my combination without even really thinking about it. I gathered my books with my head in the clouds… who cared what books I took home when I have a date with Jyou?! I chuckled, giddy just at the thought of it, and slung my backpack over my shoulders. I walked through the halls so out of it I didn't noticed I started going down the wrong halls to get outside. I was now in the senior gym hall – freshmen strictly prohibited (that rule was created and dictated by the seniors and they were much into enforcing it). I quickly got my focus on again and started to get out of the hallway when a startled scream stopped me dead in my tracks. It was so specific, so familiar… it was Miyako. Miyako screamed again – this time more shrill, it was a cry of bloody murder. All serious… all scared… all blood curdling… It sounded like someone was skinning her alive.

Against my better judgment and my dire hate for Miyako and Hikari, I had to find out what was going on. I may've hated them but… that didn't meant that Miyako should get up by a senior in the senior gym hallway – she must've entered here just like me, completely unknowing, and now she was paying the price… I had to stop it. What if the actually _killed_ her? It damn sure sounded like they were. My morals compelled me to stop them; pain to that degree was inexcusable.

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**(Miyako's POV)**

I felt oddly cold today, everything felt a lot warmer to me then it should've. A normal textbook was like a hotplate against my frigid skin. I didn't understand it, but something seemed to click when I saw this random purple-haired kid. I had never really noticed him before… but when we locked eyes he gasped and so did I – I saw a very morbid picture inside of his eyes. As odd as it sounded I did – and it included me somehow, yet I didn't know why or how. I hurried away from him – he looked at me with such pity, and sympathy – it was like he was watching me lay dead in a coffin at an awake. It was scary – terrifying even – I needed to get out of this school, right now.

It was weird the feeling that surged through my body – it was a feeling of extreme fear, a feeling that told me to rush out of where I was as if I was being stalked by a killer – and it only started after I saw Ken's eyes. Wait… Ken? How'd I know his name? He seemed familiar too… his hair kind of looked like mine… I shook my head and focused on getting out of the school.

Oh damn.

I was in such haste that I wandered down the wrong hallway – I was at the entrance of the senior gym hallway – thank god I didn't go in. Freshmen could get killed in here! In fact I'm sure they have killed a few innocent souls in there… I quickly turned around.

"Hehehe…" I stopped cold at the evil sound. The feeling returned like a raging flame inside my body and I quickly saw Ken's eyes in my mind once again. I could feel the temperature change in the air on my skin. It turned heated, and my cold skin burned in its presence. For some reason my sense of touch was always so accurate… I shook my head – I needed to get out of here. Just as I was about to sprint in the opposite direction from the hallway, a hand caught my shoulder. My instincts took over.

I shrieked – it was the shrillest scream I ever solicited from my lungs. I jumped away and my body fell into a fighting position – but before I could even see who grabbed my shoulder – I was punched on the side of my face and was sent flying backwards. I landed hard on the floor.

"Hey Miyako… remember me?" A dark, husky voice asked. She was shadowy in the covers of the dim-lit senior hallway. There were two other large figures behind the one who spoke. They seemed feminine oddly enough – their bodies that is – they all had their hands on their hips and their lips sparkled in the dim light. They stalked closer to me and their identities became known. I gasped loudly.

"You see Miyako, I know it was you who's been orchestrating all these attacks against me, I saw you out in the gym yard, in History class, you just wouldn't stop, would you? Well now it's over and I've come for my revenge. Brianne, Gabrielle! Let's teach little Miya how big girls play in the _real_ word." The leader called to the dark figures behind her. I gasped as they advanced on me. I tried to get up but my legs were frozen and a feeling of dread dawned on me – Ken's eyes flashed once more in my mind before all I could see were the evil grinning faces of my attackers.

"Patricia." Was the last word silently whispered from my mouth – chuckles and grunts filled the air…

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**(Iori's POV)**

I was walking out of the school as the last bell rang and saw a rather giddy red-haired kid, who I recognized from my biology class, bounce down the halls happily with a grin on his face. What was his name? Kodiro? Koushipo? Who cares. I leaned into Takeru as we walked from our last class down the halls. I was still a little freaked out about the photo I drew, but Takeru said he'd take care of it. I couldn't doubt him when he seemed so confident… when he looked at me so sure of himself… I believed him fully. We came to my locker first seeing as it was the closest to the art class. We then headed down another five hundred or so lockers to Takeru's locker. Once we both had the books we needed we started to leave the school.

"So how'd you like school today?" Takeru asked me cheerily, though his voice seemed a little husky… and he kind of looked at me… hungrily. Like he was impatient and waiting for something… I shook my head and answered his question.

"It was okay, I guess… are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, jusssstttt fine…" He said it kind of seductively – his hand crawled around my shoulders and my face flushed with heat. He purred in my ear.

"You know I love it when you blush." He whispered huskily in my ear – holy crap – Takeru was horny.

"Uhhh… that's nice…" I said watching him look at me greedily – his had around me possessively. Oh. God.

"Yeah… yeah, you are nice…" He said and at that moment swung me into the boy's bathroom and captured me in a kiss. His arms came around me like bullets and held me firm to him. Why he was so horny? That was completely beyond me. But he was, and he was obviously determined to get what he wanted. He lips attacked mine with such fever and eagerness that I was shocked into submission in his arms. I never anticipated this and frankly… I was kind of scared. His hands escaped under my shirt and began groping my skin feverishly. I could barely kiss back – he moved so fast I could barely keep up. His hands moved my chest and then he started to move forward until I was pressed against the wall. His eyes focused on my lips and his erection pressed painfully against my body.

He captured my lips again and his hands crawled down to my groin. This time I was determined to keep up. I kissed back just as eager – I wasn't going to just sit there – and my hands crept around his neck in a tight hold. His tongue pried open my lips and entered my mouth. His tongue brushed mine and I brushed mine back, it was almost like a game – I wouldn't let him brush me last. His hand massaged my groin furthering my own erection as well as his. His other hand came behind my head and tangled up in my hair. When we finally had to pull away for air we were both panting, completely out of breath.

"Iori, you're so fucking cute." His whispered roughly, I shivered as his breath rolled over the side of my face in a splash of curls – I felt his pants continually roll over my skin in the same manner. He kissed the side of my mouth while his hand continued to grope me, he kissed my cheek and then further up it until he reached my ear.

"I want you." I panted. "Right now." He breathed and I gasped. In a school? If the drawing didn't give it away that we were gay then this sure damn would – it'd be undeniable. I'd have to stop him before someone walks in on us and we _all_ regret it. I doubt any straight boy would want to walk in here deciding he really had to go and see us and be disgusted and run out. That wouldn't be good for anyone… so I needed to stop this.

"Takeru, maybe we should wait till we get home – ah!" I shouted in surprise as he tugged down my pants to my ankles. He was on his knees in a second and was just about to go further when I thought of something that could halt him.

"Takeru – my parents have work for the next two hours – if we hurry home we can have sex plenty of times with no chance of getting caught. What do ya say? Wait till we get home, hmm?" I said in the most seductive voice I could. His eyes widened in wonder and lust, and he looked at me more hungrily then before. He lifted my pants up as I rose and gave me one more passionate kiss as we headed out.

I noticed Hikari, the other person in Takeru's true relationship, walk down the hall looking unhappy. I heard a faint scream in that moment as well that no one else noticed. It was Miyako. I heard her scream, and scream, and scream. Three times in succession – each was more painful sounding than the last – my eyes widened. Because of my amazing ears I was the only one who noticed. I didn't wish to alarm Takeru though if I told him Miyako was in trouble, I'd have to find a distraction and see what was up.

"Takeru why don't you go fix the picture I drew in art class while I go take care of something." I said turning around. Takeru caught my shoulder and I yelped scared out of my mind for some unknown reason. I jumped and turned around in a ready position still unknowing of why I was doing this and was hit with a strong feeling of Déjà Vu. I felt like I had already done this before... but not me… What was going on? At that moment Ken passed in the hallway and saw me, our eyes locked for a second and I felt Takeru's eyes on me as well. I read the message in Ken's eyes… Miyako was in trouble.

Ken made his way over to me fighting through the crowds of people to get to me.

"Iori? What are you talking about? What do you need to take care of? Can't we just go home? I really want to fu –" He stopped himself from saying the word trying not to attract any attention to him by saying it. No one could know that we were gay, nor could they know that we were together – saying the end of that sentence would've surely given our secret away. Geez Takeru's turning out to be really lousy at keeping this a secret, but I couldn't dwell on this much longer… Ken was right in front of me.

"Iori… I think we should talk." He said staring at me intently. I heard Takeru growl unhappily.

"And why would you need to do that? Huh? You've always been around us, pretty much stalking us! Why don't you just leave Ichijouji?!" Takeru shouted angrily, stepping between us with his arm wrapped around me protectively. Ken raised a single eyebrow, and spoke in a calm tone.

"I implore you to move out of my way and allow me to talk to Iori privately. It is important that he knows something." Ken said, not backing down.

"You implore **me**? No, buddy, I implore _you_ to stay the fuck away from my – I mean Iori! Got that? What could be so important that you need to talk to him without me? Huh?" Takeru looked extremely angry. No doubt all that testosterone was going to his head – it seemed like he was… was he jealous that Ken was always looking for me? Did the fact that Ken and me would share a secret bother him? Did he notice the unknown bond we held with each other? Was that helping fuel the fire of his anger and jealousy? Takeru wanted me all for himself. That made me feel kinda fuzzy inside.

"I need to talk to him about our family. It's important that we talk." Ken said angrily – obviously loosing his patience. Wait… what the fuck did he just say? Did he just say OUR family? No, no, I must've just heard him wrong. Either that or he just meant his family and just said it weird. I shook my head – this was confusing me – no, **today** was confusing me.

"Huh? What about your family? Why would Iori want to know –" I cut him off.

"Takeru I've got to go take care of something – please let me go it's important." I heard a lot more screaming now – it was hurting my ears and it sounded morbid. What the hell was happening to Miyako? I had to stop it. She sounded like she was dying…

"What is it, Iori?" He turned to me. I just mouth the word 'please' at him with puppy-dog eyes. He sighed and released his hold from me. I darted from him while Ken was just about to turn around and follow me when I heard Takeru say "Hey you've got some explaining to do, I'm not finished with you," he sounded pretty pissed off.

I ran down the hallways and followed what I heard to where it was coming from. It felt weird to hear this and see everyone else completely ignorant to it – not noticing someone was crying for their life somewhere in the school building. It was weird but I didn't dwell on it I continued on through the school – I needed to find Miyako… something terribly wrong is happening to her.

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**(Takeru's POV)**

So many things were distracting me, why were all these things happening _now_? Iori just basically ditched me when I really wanted to have some fun with him (looks like I'll never be able to have my fun with him before his parents get home…), this Ken kid was getting on my last nerve and I was ready to kick his girly little ass, and lastly I still needed to fix Iori's picture before anyone saw it and noticed it was us. I tried to make my conversation with Ken as quick as possible so I could fix the picture and try to get Iori home before his parents. Geez, why the hell was I so horny?

"Hey you've got some explaining to do, I'm not finished with you," I said holding onto Ken's shirt angrily. Being kept from having sex was enough to make me incomprehensibly mad at Ken.

"Look I've got to go, stop being a jackass. I need to talk to my brother!" He tried to tug from my grasp.

"What do you mean? You said you had to talk to Iori! What are you talking to all these people about that I can't know?" I said angrily holding him closer to me giving him a death-glare. "And what the fuck? Who're you calling a jackass? I'm gonna _kick your ass_!" I said my anger rising to its peak. I was getting extremely frustrated right now.

"Hey look over there, it's a walrus!" Huh? I turned sharply around. Wait, what the fuck?

"Hey you bastard get back here!" I can't believe I fell for that one, dammit! I was really going to kick his ass now. I turned around and punched a locker with all my force – I made dent in the metal – I grinned to myself looking at what I did. Poor bastard who comes in tomorrow and finds their locker was pulverized. I heard Hikari muttering angrily besides me just then. I looked over to her curiously while she dialed in her combination on her locker, she seemed really angry.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked, feeling quite angry myself.

"Huh? Oh, Takeru, hi honey. Uhm, yeah I guess. Miyako never met me afterschool – and I just noticed I forgot to get my history book; I have a big test in it tomorrow, so I came back to school to get it. What are you doing here? Usually you're home by now – or at basketball practice." She said playing with her hair. Shit. I forgot all about basketball practice. Eh… I'm the captain, I can miss a day or two if I want can't I?

"Oh, uh… my friend needed to take care of something so I'm just waiting for him to finish…" I said repeating what Iori had told me. What did he have to do?

"Oh? Who would that be?" She asked inquisitively. She leaned against her locker, and laid a hand on her hip. Gay or not I had to admit she looked pretty damn hot right now… wow was I seriously still attracted to her? I thought I was gay…

"Uh, no one you know. Iori Hida? Does the name ring a bell?" I asked with my eyes focused on her curves. I was still really horny and she just kept looking better and better by the second… I think I seriously wanted her right now – for the first time in my life.

"Oh yeah, I know him. He's Miyako's cousin, I went over his house briefly not too long ago. Miyako's not too fond of him; she thinks he's a nerd. Ha! He looks like one." Despite how angry her comment just made me – no one, absolutely no one was allowed to talk about _my_ Iori that way – I still found her breathtakingly hot.

"Yeah… I guess…" I said and leaned into and kissed her. Before I understood what I was doing I was passionately kissing her. My hands wrapped around her sleek frame – the feeling of her body pressed to mine astoundingly made me hard. I noticed for the first time I liked how she felt… I liked her body against mine… oh God… please don't fucking tell me I was _falling_ for my _girlfriend_! I couldn't help it though; soon we were lost in our own world, kissing like the most passionate of lovers. Soon we had to pull away for air.

"Wow, Takeru… that was… what brought that on?" She asked gasping for air but with a smile in her voice. She was obviously happy about my random assault on her body.

"To think you were cheating on me…" She whispered, or… I thought she whispered. I could've sworn that's what she said, but I just shook my head and ignored it. I probably just misunderstood what she just said.

"I'm not sure…" I said answering her question. But the weird thing is… even knowing who she was… I liked it… a lot. Damn it. Damn it all to hell.

"Maybe we should get outta here… my parents are out of town on a business trip – you know they're always traveling… and Taichi probably has soccer practice… we can have some fun if you want…" She tugged on my arm, looking at me from under her lashes, she grinned evilly and happily. The girl who I set out to destroy was giving me an invitation to her bedroom… and I was considering taking her up on it.

Oddly enough it was the exact thing I thought I was going to do with Iori… wait… technically… just who the fuck was I cheating on…? Hikari was my girlfriend and Iori was my boyfriend… who was the closest to my heart – who would be the one… the one that I really betrayed? I wasn't sure…

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**(Iori's POV)**

I found myself at the entrance of the senior gym hallway. In black in someone had written on the side of the wall "freshmen beware…" I gulped. I paced in front of it hearing Miyako's muffled screams much more accurately now… along with another sound I could decipher… I just shook my head and walked outside using the door that was behind me – it lead to the senior gym yard. What the hell did I think I was going to do? What if someone big and strong was hurting Miyako? What was a little shrimp like me going to do? I couldn't do anything… and would probably just get my ass kicked like Miyako was right now. I should've brought Takeru, and maybe even Ken. The more people the better… but still who the hell knows how many people were hurting Miyako? And what if no one was? What if I was mistaking this for some scary movie? Yeah that could happen! Nope I was just lying to myself… my hearing was more then good enough to decipher it was her. Curse my hearing…

I took a deep breath and then when I was just about to go back in, I heard another sound I wished I hadn't, I wished my hearing wasn't so accurate, I wished I could lie to myself and say I didn't hear it… but I heard it… and the acid of his voice began to burn my ears…

"Hey twerp… did you see me on the news last night? I promised you I'd come back, and I never go back on my promises…" He chuckled darkly. I shivered. Dammit. At the worst possible time… the world was beginning to fall apart.

"H-How'd you… how'd you find me?" I stammered, backing up against the door that lead back inside (which I was hoping I could slip into).

"It wasn't hard… your old school – well _my_ school – doesn't protect its student classified records so well, just like how it doesn't protect it's cafeteria food so well – lemme tell you free food is a pretty fun thing when there's so much of it. Anyways, I know everything about you now… Iori Hida… you're a wimpy little nerd, aren't you? You've never been on any sports teams, have missed plenty of gym classes, you're all for studying though aren't you? You little perfect-grades, goodie-two shoes. Have anything to say for yourself? Huh?"

"Saburo Tsutomu" I whispered. I glared at him despite my fear – I was trembling and halfway to peeing my pants – yet I still managed to dig up my hate for this person.

"What was that faggot?" He sneered at me. I growled deep in my chest – who the hell was he calling a faggot?

"GAHH!" I shouted as I ran at him with all my force. I slammed hard into his rock-solid body. We toppled over onto the grass of the senior gym yard. He grabbed the hair on the back of my head pulled it to peel me off him. He threw me against the grass and jumped on top of me. He reared his arm back and threw it forward with all his force. His fist smacked me straight in the eye – I cried out in pain. I struggled under him feeling my eye swell up.

"Faggot nerds have to be taught a lesson Iori – don't fight it – it'll be over soon enough… or will it?" He chuckled darkly. He backhanded me across the face when I managed to kick him fiercely in the back from under him.

"Leave me the fuck alone, bastard!" I shouted as I got one of my hands free and punched his groin as hard as I could manage. He squealed and his hands quickly tended to that area. I was able – while he was distracted – to flip him off me with my legs. I scrambled away on my hands and legs, desperately trying to find some escape. He grabbed my leg and yanked me backward before I could get very far. He brought up his fist and then slammed it down hard on my back – that sent me flat onto the ground from on my knees. I struggled to get up but he kept bringing me back down. I flipped onto my stomach noticing I was getting nowhere and then used my legs to catapult him backwards from me. He saw it coming though and dodged it and then grabbed my legs and stood up. Still holding my legs he lifted me and literally swung me around and let go of them. He force of the swing sent me flying further into the seniors yard.

Pain flew up and down my body, paralyzing me in this position. If I moved I knew it would hurt extremely – too much to get far – I was incapacitated. He then ran over to me and jumped straight onto my body – I closed my eyes getting ready for him to crash on top of me.

The pain… was indescribable. I couldn't feel my stomach anymore, nor my chest, nor groin. All I felt was searing pain. I saw what came next and braced myself he brought his arm back again and was going to send it flying into my body with an immense force. But I didn't feel anything this time. I thought it was because I was in so much pain that I just couldn't feel anymore pain – but I realized that's not what happened.

"Hey, what the fuck are you _freshmen_ doing on the senior gym yard?! You should all be home by now – the schools closed. Get going before we beat the shit outta you!" A couple seniors called coming towards us. I could barely see anything and I noticed that was because my eyes were closed – I opened them slowly and saw Saburo hesitating above me.

"Hey! I'm no _freshman_! I'm a senior too – I go to Nishi Tsuchi High School!" He called out to them. He looked right now like he was a lion protecting his fresh kill from hyenas, I looked at the seniors inspecting their faces for any further evidence of intruding – I may just live through today if they broke up our fight.

"Nishi Tsuchi? Are you kidding? What the fuck is a Nishi Tsuchi kid doing _here_?! That's worse than being a freshman! Get the fuck off our property kid! We just kicked your wimpy ass soccer team two days ago and we are more then happy enough to show you what it looked like – _on your face_!" One of the seniors called from the group closing in on us. I instantly recognized one of the faces.

"Yamato!" I cried – my voice was hoarse – I cleared my throat. I looked up at him pleadingly.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! What are you doing with Iori!" Yamato shouted angrily walking towards us.

"You know this freshman? I thought he went to Nishi Tsuchi?" One of them asked Yamato.

"Not Iori – maybe this guy here – but Iori goes here." He said calling back to his friends. He gasped when he got closer to me and noticed my condition. "Hey what the fuck? Did you do this to him?" Yamato accused Saburo.

"And what if I did?" Saburo challenged, seeming confident. He stood up and met Yamato eye to eye.

Yamato grabbed his shirt collar and forcefully rammed him back against the school wall.

"You fucking think this is funny you little piece of shit? Don't mess with me bitch, I'll really fuck you up." Yamato said pushing him higher up against the wall.

"G-Get off me jackass!" Saburo said struggling under Yamato's ferice grip. Wow I never thought he could be so angry… so strong… so overpowering… I just watched in awe.

Yamato punched him hard in the stomach and I heard a distinct crack. Saburo coughed loudly as all the air was forced out of him.

"You listen to me and you listen the fuck good! No one messes with my little brothers friends! Touch him again and you'll wish someone would kill you quickly – because me? I'll make your death slow and mortifying – you'll think being burned alive would be a much more tolerable death. So get the fuck outta here Nishi Tsuchi kid – and don't fuck with my friends, or _anyone_ from this school, got that? Because I will hunt your ass down." Yamato pressed into him hard when Saburo didn't say anything.

"Okay – okay! I got it! Please, lemme go!" Saburo pleaded. Yamato let go of him, still glaring, and just when he looked like he was going to walk away he grabbed Saburo's shoulders and threw him straight against another wall (where the hallway turned) and released him. Saburo just sat there unmoving – moaning in pain. Yamato walked back over to me.

"Go Yamato!" One of the seniors called from behind me. The pain dulled enough for me to stand up, and I slowly made my way to Yamato.

"You just better be happy I got here when I did. I don't know what you did to make him hurt you, but I doubt he'll attempt attacking you again. Not if he values his life, that is." Yamato said the last part loudly as if he was telling it to Saburo more than me.

"Come on, Iori, let's go find your brother before he had a conniption. I can't believe he'd even let you out of his sight long enough for this to happen to you." Yamato shook his head disapprovingly.

"I-It's not Takeru's fault. I asked for him to leave me alone because… because… oh shit! **Miyako**!" I shouted remembering why I was even in school in the first place. Though I was not too fond of Miyako she was family – I had to protect her… that is if she's even worth protecting now… she sounded like she was being killed… and I didn't hear screams anymore… maybe she was dead… I might've been too late… This stupid melee between my past and me stopped me from protecting the life of one of my family members… I sighed.

"What about Miyako?" Yamato asked curiously. "What is she taking our break-up hard?" Yamato asked leading me back into the school. The seniors followed us back into the school.

"No, that's not it at all… I heard her screaming from the senior hallway! I think someone was beating her up. She sounded like she was being murdered! Seriously!"

"I guess we're gonna go find out what the problem is then…" Yamato muttered. "Why can't you freshman just understand you're not supposed to be on senior property? Is it really that hard to understand?" Yamato asked shaking his head. "You said she sounded like she was being murdered? That's weird… we usually don't kill the freshman literally, though I must admit it's tempting." Yamato chuckled darkly then sighed.

We went into the school getting ready for whatever awaited us…

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(A/N:) Well that's the end of the chappy! How'd you like it? Good, not good? Review and tell me! Please review! I live off those – I need more if I'm going to continue writing this fic! Review please!!! Thanks!!! (Hey I think that's a pretty reasonable proposition… reviewing = Pellucid Otiose writing more, I think that works well!)


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